Photographs bring depression era to light in new decade

Tattered clothing, lined faces and worn expressions dominate images of the Great Depression.

Nine photographs from the IU Art Museum’s collection of more than 800 Depression-era images are on display in the Gallery of Art of the Western World.

The photographs feature farmers and families engaged in everyday activities, such as hauling corn and enjoying meals together.

Bloomington resident Clinton Baker said he found the images fascinating and moving.
“The pictures tell so much of the story,” Baker said.

Baker said he was at the museum because of interest in the time period and the hardships people faced during the Depression.

“It’s amazing what these people endured,” he said.

The photographs were produced in the late 1930s and early 1940s by a department of the Farm Security Administration.

The FSA, established as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, sought to provide assistance for the nation’s struggling farmers. 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of the FSA.

Nan Brewer, curator of works on paper for the museum, said she hoped to show a comparison with the installation.

The photographs are arranged in two rows, the top row featuring images of hardship, such as the depiction of a family huddled together in a dugout.

Images of renewed prosperity occupy the bottom row, such as an elderly couple smiling on their front porch.

Brewer said this juxtaposition shows the suffering but also highlights the later benefit of the FSA programs.

The images were first put on display in October 2009 as part of the nationwide observance of “Archives and Special Collections Month,” Brewer said.

“Brother Can You Spare a Dime? Documenting the Great Depression,” was a month-long celebration of archives and special collections at IU that featured music, speakers and events.

Brewer said the Great Depression was chosen as the theme because of renewed interest and concerns about the economy and comparisons of President Roosevelt to President Obama.

The FSA photos the will be on display until mid-April, Brewer said.

Aaron Lewis, museum security guard, said while the public may be familiar with Depression-era photography, the images on display are often ones people haven’t seen before.

“Collectively, they’re an important historical document,” Lewis said.

Fareed Mostoufi, a first-time visitor to the IU Art Museum, said the images are relevant given the country’s economic situation.

“It’s something people could potentially face,” Mostoufi said.

Baker said people should see the photographs and attempt to learn from earlier mistakes.

“To prepare for the future, we have to know about the past,” he said.