Modern Art

I chose to look into the influence of The Great Depression.  The works I have chosen were made depicting The Great Depression, or were made during The Great Depression. I chose this because to me this seemed like it would be the topic with the most emotion, and that intrigues me the most. 

Dox Thrash (American, 1893–1965). Untitled (Strike), 1940

(TW: SA)

Trash made this painting showcasing a protest. You can see a crowd of African American men protesting, and two white figures from a window seemingly laughing. When I was looking into the painting I learned, "A placard to the organizer’s left references the landmark Scottsboro Boys trial, in which nine Black youths were falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama in 1931." cited here
I found this notable as black Americans are still falsely accused to this day. For art elements, shape was the main thing that struck me first. Especially when looking at the backs of the men, it almost seems cartoonish but it works well. The colors of the building behind them caught my eye and led me to believe this may have been on the East Coast of America, like New York. Line is another element that sticks out to me especially when looking at the main man's hand- as it seems bigger than his body size. This painting was relevant to the times then and now. 

Apple Vendor, painted by Barbara Stevenson 1933-1934

This painting was one of the most interesting to me. It shows grief to me, the man looks like he has lost something as he sits slumped over. The main color in my opinion is yellow, red and blue. This painting was part of the PWAP, this was an organization that provided financial and moral support to Americans through art. There is also a mother and child who seem to be walking towards the man who is selling apples for 5 cents.  The texture to me looks smooth, with the shapes also appearing to be soft- which I feel is an interesting contrast to the seemingly harsh environment behind the man of smoke towers. This painting to me depicts the struggle of The Great Depression.

Automat, by Edward Hopper 1927

This painting was made two years before the great depression, but it kept popping up in my search for paintings to choose from. A young woman sits alone with a cup of coffee. I really like this painting. She looks lost in thought or in grief. The colors are pretty plain, and the texture seems so soft although the painting itself seems hard and dark. Form sticks out to me in the reflection of the window showing the reflection of the lights repeating into a dark void, if it it goes on forever. I feel like this painting depicts the overall feeling of The Great Depression, even though it's two years premature. 

Sources used 

Celinabatchart (2017) Early modern art and the influence of the Great Depression, Explorations in art. Available at: https://celinabatchart.wordpress.com/2017/11/09/early-modern-art-and-the-influence-of-the-great-depression/ (Accessed: 09 November 2023).

Rudnick, A. (2023) The art of the Great Depression, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/articles/2023/9/the-art-of-the-great-depression (Accessed: 09 November 2023).