At this point, I think it is clear that current events of the time periods are a strong influence on the art being created. For the Early Modern Era, 1900-1939, I want to show some pieces that were influenced by the Great Depression.
 |
| Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California, 1936, by Dorothea Lange. |
This photo was taken by a photojournalist named Dorothy Lange, who was working for the Resettlement Administration (Chandler). This photo of a mother named Florence was incredibly famous for the time period. In this image, we see two young kids who are clearly dirty, have messy hair, and are hiding from the camera behind their mom. The story behind this family is Florence was 32 with 7 children, struggling to find work as a migrant field worker in order to get cash to feed her family (Chandler). I personally have seen this photo before in school textbooks and know that during the time it was taken, it was very popular. I love the art of photography and how it truly captures a moment in time. There is so much emotion and thought behind this photo. Even if someone did not know where the photo came from or what was occurring during the time you could think of many stories behind her worried look.
 |
Isaac Soyer: Employment Agency (1937)
|
This painting by Issac Soyer, is a great depiction of the struggles people faced during this time. With jobs hard to come by, and families struggling to make ends meet, often the unemployment lines were incredibly long and exhausting. Soyer did a wonderful job showing emotion in the faces of the people in this piece. You can see the sense of exhaustion, sadness, and hopelessness these people are experiencing, the muted colors used in this painting and the little use of contrast also help to express the emotions Soyer was trying to convey. The man in the brown suit is positioned to look as though he is in deep thought, probably thinking about what he will do if he cannot find a job.
 |
Leon Bibel, Red Hot Franks, 1938, screenprint
|
There is something about this Screenprint done by Leon Bibel that really stands out to me. One thing I love about art is how artists find influence and inspiration from regular, everyday things. The cubism style of this piece really brings to life the hustle-bustle of the city. I feel so many different things about this piece. I can hear different music of all different languages, car horns, cartwheels over pavement and pebbles, splashing of puddles, people talking and shouting. I love the colors and patterns used in this piece and the use of positive and negative spaces. Clearly, the image is more abstract, but we are still able to see the main focus which someone is pushing a food cart. I like this piece because, despite the other images that are really showcasing the hard, dark, dirty, and tough side of the Great Depression, this piece showcases how there is light in the darkness. This man is working hard and doing what he can to provide, but there is much more to be grateful for.
Sources:
In all three at works you can feel why it’s called the great depression. I liked all the pieces you chose. There was a cohesive feeling of depression through them all that made one feel empathy for their situation. The mother in the photo looks so stressed and done with trying to raise seven children with little to no money. In the second art work you showed has such a depressing color palette. In the last art work you talked about, then man looks tired and hunched. Although this man is in a very vibrant background, that gives some hope.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you had intended this but I love how the works you have chosen move from the accuracy of a photo into the abstraction of cubism. Even though each piece is constructed differently, they depict how the people were feeling at the time clearly. Migrant Mother shows Florence so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hasn't even noticed the camera. Her brows furrowed with worry, and yet there is a strong hint of determination emanating from her eyes. In Employment Agency I get a much different feeling. Four people sit around and you can feel the boredom they are going through, but they have no choice but to sit and wait and hope that there will be work for them today. Red Hot Franks is definitely the most interesting piece to me. I see a man who is so exhausted that he can no longer hold his head up. The buildings in the background appear to be crushing him as he pushes his cart forward, but he still pushes on.
ReplyDeleteMigrant Mother is such an amazing piece. I have never seen it before but at first glance I thought it was a very detailed sketch. I love that you used a photograph for your exhibit. The concern on the mothers face and the two children hiding behind her is such a heartbreaking scene, and I really agree with you how this is evidence of one of the toughest times in our history!
ReplyDeleteI think that your first picture "Migrant Mother" is an amazing piece to really portray the Great Depression and show its affects on modern art. I love how you gave background information about the picture so that we could see it from a new perspective. I find it perfect as one of the staples for art in the great depression since the strain, anxiety, pressure, and depression are all very clearly seen on her face. It is sad to think that her facial expression probably doesn't show even half of what she is going through, but that's just how life was and your exhibit here shows that well.
ReplyDelete