On Friday, November 12, 2010, Baldwin Lee presented a lecture on the exhibition of "Let Us Now Praise Men," in the Foster Gallery. Lee is one of Walker Evans last assistance before his passing in 1975. Lee compared Dorothy Lange's work of Farm Security Adminitration collection to Evans "Let Us Now Praise Men" exhibit.
The specific images Lee compared were Lange's "Migrant Mother" to Evans "Allie May Burroughus." The "Migrant Mother" was taken at the end of Lange's assignment in Califonia as part of the Farm Security Administration in 1936 (The Library of Congress, 2010). Lange said that she was srawn to the woman like a magnet and took five pictures of her (The Library of Congress, 2010). The images "Allie May Burroughus" was also taken on assignment, though for documenting the poverty of alabama sharecroppers following the Great Depression (Regents of the University of Michigan, 2010). According to Lee there are two published images of Allie May Burroughs; this makes me wonder how many other images of Allie May burroughs were taken and what Evans saw in those particular images that he did not see in the others. I really enjoyed how lee placed the two images of Allie May Burrougsh side by side and compared her facial expressions. He explained how the closer up image appeared more positive and happy. Lee also explained that Evans used a fill flash which brightened Allie May Burroughs face. In contrast, in the second image Allie May Burroughs was viewed as more negative with a furrow eyebrows and tighter lips. I find it interesting that the lighting is what affects the feel of these two images; it reminds me of the "dark/evil side" with the "light/good side."
Similarities in these images are obvious. Both images were taken the same year,1936, and were created for the public to understand the effect of poverty and The Great Depression on families. These images are of women who appear to be looking beyond the camera, or forward to better time. both women are ragged, appear to be lost in thought, and devastated by their poverty level. The differences in these images is that Lange's image was taken using a Graflex camera with original negatives being 4x5" and Evans 8x10". Another difference can be seen in location, but this also shows that people were suffering all over the country, not in one specific demographic.
I really liked comparing these images and being able to see the raw emotions on the women's faces. I think it is interesting how similar the images appear in expression and how the women have similar stories of poverty. I also found it interesting that these images allow viewers to try to think about what the women in these images are thinking about.
The specific images Lee compared were Lange's "Migrant Mother" to Evans "Allie May Burroughus." The "Migrant Mother" was taken at the end of Lange's assignment in Califonia as part of the Farm Security Administration in 1936 (The Library of Congress, 2010). Lange said that she was srawn to the woman like a magnet and took five pictures of her (The Library of Congress, 2010). The images "Allie May Burroughus" was also taken on assignment, though for documenting the poverty of alabama sharecroppers following the Great Depression (Regents of the University of Michigan, 2010). According to Lee there are two published images of Allie May Burroughs; this makes me wonder how many other images of Allie May burroughs were taken and what Evans saw in those particular images that he did not see in the others. I really enjoyed how lee placed the two images of Allie May Burrougsh side by side and compared her facial expressions. He explained how the closer up image appeared more positive and happy. Lee also explained that Evans used a fill flash which brightened Allie May Burroughs face. In contrast, in the second image Allie May Burroughs was viewed as more negative with a furrow eyebrows and tighter lips. I find it interesting that the lighting is what affects the feel of these two images; it reminds me of the "dark/evil side" with the "light/good side."
Similarities in these images are obvious. Both images were taken the same year,1936, and were created for the public to understand the effect of poverty and The Great Depression on families. These images are of women who appear to be looking beyond the camera, or forward to better time. both women are ragged, appear to be lost in thought, and devastated by their poverty level. The differences in these images is that Lange's image was taken using a Graflex camera with original negatives being 4x5" and Evans 8x10". Another difference can be seen in location, but this also shows that people were suffering all over the country, not in one specific demographic.
I really liked comparing these images and being able to see the raw emotions on the women's faces. I think it is interesting how similar the images appear in expression and how the women have similar stories of poverty. I also found it interesting that these images allow viewers to try to think about what the women in these images are thinking about.
Michelle Manthey
This is in comparison with Eudora Welty, Erskine Caldwell, Richard Wright, and Walker Evans. It is fascinating as to the almost exact impressions on the faces of not only the women of the time, but also on the hard working men, that is, the men that were able to find work during the depression as well as prior to. But I think it also shows the true grit of the people during the times. They were destitute yes, but determined, and proud. They never gave up.
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