social realism

JESSIKA ANDERSONANNIE PERKINS

JORDAN BAER

Social Realism

Introduction

Focused on the reality of the life of the working class and the poor.

Aimed at social change.

Defined primary by the message and political meaning, not style.

Introduction

Real life images.

Can be in the form of paintings or photography.

Usually painted in a naturalistic, descriptive style.

Typically convey a message of social or political protest.

Major Artists

Dorothea Lange

Grant Wood

Ben Shahn

Jacob Lawrence

Dorothea Lange

Photographer

Most famous image was Migrant Mother.

During World War Two she documented the interment of Japanese Americans in camps.

Focused on women and minority groups at work in shipyards.

Dorothea Lange

Her work reflects insight, compassion, and empathy for her subjects.

Documented the suffering of the dispossessed in breadlines and labor strikes.

Worked for the Farm Security Administration as a part of a team who documented the impact of federal programs in improving rural conditions.

Migrant Mother 1936

On the Road

California at last

Grant Wood

Most famous painting is “American Gothic”.

Drew pictures of things and people that he knew.

His paintings show the love that he had for people and the customs of Midwestern united states.

Grant Wood

During the depression, people liked to look at his paintings to make themselves feel better.

Started an art colony and designed one of the largest stained glass windows ever.

Paintings had a fairytale look about them.

American Gothic- 1930

Woman with plants

Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Ben Shahn

Immigrated here from Lithuania in 1906.

Developed a keen sense of observation.

He witnessed many social problems and experienced some himself because he was Jewish.

Assistant of Diego Rivera.

Ben Shahn

Held strong socialist views.

Often inspired by news reports.

Joined the Public Works of Art project and completed many murals that dealt with anti-semitism and working conditions.

Produced pictures for the office of war information and the congress of industrial organizations.

Mural for Community Center, Jersey Homesteads

Jacob Lawrence

Favored abstract models of expression.

Depicted the African American experience.

Images reflect his keen observation of the sights and sounds of Harlem.

Used simplified forms, patterns, repetition, and bold color to express mood and meaning.

Migration of the negro series- 1940

Migration of the negro series- 1940

On the Way- 1990

Origin

Ashcan School Painters- American realist painters based in New York City.

Depression Era- artists began to grapple more with jobs, poverty, political corruption, injustice, labor management, and conflict.

Closely related to American scene painting and regionalism styles.

Background

Dates back to the Realist movement in French art during the mid-1800s.

Many early artists were painters with socialist political views.

Not an official art and allows room for subjectivity.

Socialist realism is a specific branch of social realism.

Background

Expresses emotion

The movement occurs during the Great Depression.

Focus of the artist is to show the working class as heroes.

Artists pledged to fight the beautiful art, which was anything that appealed to the eye.

Influences

Great Depression

Mexican Revolution

Industrial Revolution- urban cities grow and class distinction.

Developed as a reaction against idealism and

the exaggerated ego created by Romantism.

Influences

Realism- style painting that depicts the actuality of what they eyes can see.

Imagery appears in magazine advertisements and children books.

Eventually falls out of favor as more edgy art styles take over.

Continued Themes

Allows political message

Social Realism movies such as “Dead End”. (East side of Manhattan living in mansions while the poor people live in the streets below).

Discards superstition and mysticism.

Purpose

Aimed at social change.

Ways to deal with social problems and all of the suffering occurring during the time.

Highlight social problems and attack social injustices within the American society.

Purpose

Display the plights of laborers and disenfranchised individuals.

Inspired Americans to reflect on their heritage of revolution, hard work, and religion.

Attempt to bring back prosperity.

Recognition

Associated with the hard edged muscular forms popularized by Mexican muralists, Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco.

Most common in big cities such as New York, Detroit, and Chicago.

Many artists adopted elements from the work of the Mexican muralists.

Theme/Style

Depicts social issues.

Struggling social class

Everyday life

Poverty

Emotions

Connected Movements

Regionalism- A realist modern art movement where artists shunned the city to focus on the scenes of rural life.

Cannot be confused with the Russian Socialists Realism movement.

Some artists fall under the category of both social realism and regionalism.

Connected Movements

The works the stress local and small town themes are American Regionalism. Those depicting urban scenes are social realism.

Public Reactions

Outraged because they did not know how to look at it or what to do with it.

Created a new sense of social awareness.

Summary

Focuses on the ugly realities of contemporary life and sympathized with working class people and the poor.

Response to the desperate economic and social conditions.

An accurate depiction of reality.