To me, one of the most interesting periods of American history is the Great Depression. Though one of the darkest times in American history, there is so much triumph in the time period. From the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who helped put a nation back to work, to the emergence of the active First Lady in Eleanor Roosevelt, to the stories of migration, and back again. I am most fascinated by the Federal Art Project. The Works Progress Administration didn't just send people to build schools and bridges, it also put thousands of artists and writers back to work. According to the linked site, History Matters, "New Deal arts projects were guided by two novel assumptions: artists were workers and art was cultural labor worthy of government support."
So instead of going without work or being sent to do work that artists weren't skilled in or capable of doing, the government commissioned thousands of artists to do what they did best. Several notable artists, including Jackson Pollock were supported by this program.
I've included a few of my favorite paintings from the time in this post. I love seeing how differently they were used. Some were public service announcements, others were even about tourism. Several were about public health concerns, which seems particularly ideal. What I love about the individual pieces is how different they are. While the subject was pre-prescribed for them, the artists are allowed to let their own style shine through. I would absolutely love to see these in an exhibit some day.
