Like much of Jim nez's work, the piece draws on the realist tradition, evident in the figure's dress and facial features, as well as in the ladle he holds like a triton. But it also looks back across the history of art to specific precedents, such as the Statue of Liberty, Donatello's David, and the Colossus at Rhodes.
Steelworker celebrates humanity and honors honest labor.
Jim nez admits that his loyalties lie with the subjects of his work, a bias that is eminently clear in this piece. His interest in workers and the common man is the primary focus of his art, which stems largely from his own humble origins.