Art in PoliticsProject by

Photographers in the Farm Security Administration

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 18:15:50 UTC

For my project, I am focusing on photographers that were commissioned by the Farm Security Administration. This program was created by President Roosevelt in 1937 to aid poor farmers. Photographers were hired to travel the nation and document the economic and social issues plaguing America, and bring it to a more public audience. There were many photographers in this project with different subjects that they photographed.

(Source: https://www.archives.gov/files/atlanta/education/depression-curriculum/section-2.pdf)

Government Charwoman

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 21:50:04 UTC

Government Charwoman, also known as American Gothic, was taken in 1942 by Gordon Parks, an African American photographer. The image brings into perspective the woman's job, but also her relationship to America by the flag placed behind her. The subject of the photograph is Ella Watson, a woman he met while she was cleaning the FSA offices. After taking her picture, Ella Watson welcomed Gordon Parks into her community. In Washington, D.C., he faced bigotry for being back. In Ella Watson's community, he photographed the lives of Black communities in a racist Washington, D.C.

(Sources: https://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/gordon-parks/photography-archive/washington-d-c-and-ella-watson-1942)

Migrant Mother

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 21:50:27 UTC

Migrant Mother was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1936. Th mother is seen with two children, clinging to her like she is there lifeline. Just like Lange's other photos, Migrant Mother brings sympathy to those left destitute by the Great Depression. It was four decades later that the "Migrant Mother" came forward to tell her side of the story. The woman, Florence Owens Thompson, lived a life of hardship. After her first husband had died, she had to take care of six children on her own by picking cotton for long hours. Lange approached Florence in 1936. After the photo, Florence and her family kept moving until she settled in California and married George Thompson. Despite her fame as "Migrant Mother", Florence lived in a trailer and her children had to ask for donations for Florence's medical expenses.

(Sources: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/media-arts/dorothea-lange-migrant--mother/

https://www.history.com/news/migrant-mother-new-deal-great-depression)

Roadside Stand, Alabama

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 21:50:45 UTC

Roadside Stand Near Birmingham, Alabama was taken by Walker Evans in 1936. Evans often photographed a range of subjects from workers to architecture. He was well known for his the straightforward manner he took photographs in. In this photo, Evans attempts so capture the image of 'roadside America'. The image in flat and stage like. The two boys on front holding watermelons and the little girl curtsying in background add to the stage like effect of the image.

(Source: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1975.36)

Woodstock, Vermont

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 21:51:01 UTC

Woodstock, Vermont. or "Snowy night" is a photograph taken by Marion Post Wolcott in 1940. There's not much story to this image, but it elicits feelings of peace but also of emptiness. The photograph is of a snow covered street on a quiet, empty road with streetlights to guide the viewer. It makes the viewer feel like they are in a ghost town. The snowy landscape makes the image feels serene, but with no people around, it feels unsettling in a way.

(Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsc.00240/)

Flying nun pre-flight class

thepastelinkling — 2024-10-10 21:51:34 UTC

Flying Nun Pre-Class Flight was taken by Ann Rosener in 1943. In the image it shows a nun, Sister Aquinas, explaining engine structure to her students who are also nuns. This was taken when the FSA was directing it's photo unit to photograph war propaganda for World War II. By photographing nuns learning about the engine structure of plans, it promotes that this war is morally correct by in a religious stand point. It also shows nuns/women being part of the war effort and being apart of the workforce.

(Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsc.00240/)