Currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an insightful and transporting exhibition titled Art for the Millions: American Culture and Politics in the 1930s. On display are various works from different artists that draw light to the social and political unrest that was so clearly intertwined with the decade. The exhibit seeks to highlight various perspectives and realities of the time, especially laborers, black Americans, and women. In better understanding America in the 1930s, each piece acts as a form of commentary better shaping the viewers perception of the time.
Oddly enough, walking through the various rooms that connected the exhibit, each with a different focus, I felt as if I was being taken through the decades' various themes - piece by piece. It was as if I was reading each chapter in Joan Didion's 1979 The White Album. Both works seek to bring attention to the common attitudes towards culture, politics, and history of their respective places and times. While the exhibit is centered on works of art, the additional exhibit commentary and blurbs associated with the works of art provide additional context to the overall experience for those who attend. Additionally, Didion’s work is a collection of autobiographical essays while the exhibit, I argue, is a biographical collection of artworks depicting the United States during the 1930s. It is a great learning experience for those who wish to add more color to what they learned in their American history courses.
From our history books, and common knowledge, the 1930s was not a good time for our country. Unemployment was high, savings low, people were hungry, and more hardships were shared among many. During this time, the government, specifically Franklin D. Roosevelt, created the New Deal - a plan designed to combat the depression and support the country. Much of the materials that remain today often depict the US as a resilient country who, despite its downturns, would come out stronger than before. During this time, while some artists were commissioned by the government to support the programs, others decided to remain independent and create works of their own. Such works as on display at the Met, depict the interpreted realities of leftist artists that capture the true sentiments shared by the people of the time and the attitudes of what was to come. Furthermore, I appreciate how the exhibit highlights perspectives often overlooked for the time including women and people of color.
From the start of the exhibit, spectators are met with the initial work by Louis Guglielmi “One Third of a Nation”. A depiction of the corner of a building in a geometric style with are and mute colors drawing a somber vibe to depict the melancholy of the time. He depicts the bad quality of life experienced by many during the Great Depression. There are additional pieces that give similar feelings including Edward Laning’s “Unlawful Assembly, Union Square” and Harry Gottlieb’s “Three Lane Traffic” which were supported by the Federal Art Project and gave rise to socially conscious prints. The artists represented in the exhibit were seeking to express the thoughts, feelings, and rallying cries of the general public through various mediums including paintings, drawings, sculptures, films. Clothing, and more. Prints, I learned, were the method of choice by artists because of feasibility for reproduction and sharing ideas.
The exhibit and Didion’s work are closely related not only in what they wish to portray but quite literally through the work of Georgia O'Keeffe, her 1931 piece “Cow’s Skull: Red, White, and Blue”. Georgia O’Keeffe was referenced in Didion’s 1979 novel. I recommend reading Didion’s work before going to see that of O’Keeffe as having that background provides more insight into the artistic style of O’Keeffe who found her artistic freedom in the West. O’Keeffe was described as hard and a woman who is open to what she sees. Didion speaks of her Cow’s Skull painting, the very painting on display in the American Culture exhibit. It is one to be noticed - and I can confirm it is one you cannot miss! In staring down the iconic soulless skull, I developed a greater appreciation for the work than I would have if I did not know its context. O’Keeffe was changing the way in which women could claim and conquer the artistic American landscape during her time.
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