social realism
DESCRIPTION
Social Realism is an artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished pictures of life's struggles.TRANSCRIPT
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SOCIAL REALISM(1930’S-1960’S)
Presented by:Victor Hicks & Erin Spencer
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What is Social Realism?
Definition: the movement that depicts social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through pictures of life struggles.
Prominent during Great Depression (1930’s)
Working class looked at as heroes
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Theme/Style
Theme: struggling, working class, everyday life poverty, and these emotions
Style: Photography
Dorothea Lange Walker Evans
Paintings (American scene paintings) Murals by Rivera & Orozco Portraits by Ben Shahn and Soyer Brothers
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Influences on Social RealismGreat DepressionMexican Revolution Industrial RevolutionAmerican Gothic (Icon)
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Great Depression and the Mexican Revolution (1930’s) Inspiration for most social realist works,
especially in the U.S. Social realism is seen as a form of social
protest during the great depression Government funded New Deal
organizations hired many artists Mexican Revolution was a revolt of the
middle class Turned into a very chaotic and politically
charged time in Mexican history
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Industrial Revolution
Urban centers grow The difference between lower and upper
class grows This allowed social realism to focus on the
harsh realities of modern life and portray the working class
Social realism portrayed this in a detached and honest manner
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American Gothic (Icon) Grant Wood (1931) Part of Regionalism, considered icon for
Social Realism paintings Traditional roles of men and women Colonial style dress & typical rural home Gothic theme (pitchforks) Symbolized hard work & intelligence in the
working class
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Grant Wood – American Gothic (1930)
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Grant Wood’s Sister and his Dentist
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CONNECTED MOVEMENTS
RegionalismIdealism
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Regionalism Coexisted as another main art movement
with social realism. Major artists include Grant Wood, Thomas
Hart Benton, and John Steuart Curry “Artists should paint out of the land and
people he knows best” – Wood Painted local scenes while capturing
universal significance of the subject. Social realism holds more lasting influence
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Thomas Hart Benton—Ballad of the Jealous Lover (1934)
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Social Realism v. Idealism Developed as a response to Idealistic
thought, beliefs Idealism: experience is ultimately based on
mental activity Focused more on perfection, excellence Social Realist artists focused on:
Struggle, poverty Working class Everyday life
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Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive – William F.
Buckley, Jr.
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Photography Dorothea Lange Walker Evans
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Dorothea Lange Profoundly influenced the development of
photography Polio as child, compassion for those who were
suffering, poverty Her talent was that she was always in the
right place at the right time General themes (no date, time, or location) Quote: You know there are movements such
as these, when time stands still, and all you do is hold your breathe and hope it will wait for you.
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Dorothea Lange – Migrant Mother (1936)
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Florence Thompson and her Family
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Dorothea Lange – White Angel Breadline (1933)
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Walker Evans
“Fine photography is literature, and it should be.”
Went to school to try and become a writer Photos reflect his literary background Hired by the WPA during the Depression Photography is pure record, not
propaganda with no politics whatsoever Biggest work includes photographing
tenant farmers during the depression
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Walker Evans—Tenant Farmers Wife (1936)
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Walker Evans—Easton Pennsylvania (1935)
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MEXICAN MURALIST MOVEMENT
Diego RiveraJosé Orozco
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Diego Rivera Gifted & curious as a little boy, learned to
read/write @ age 4 Dad helped him learn to paint (artistic) Mexico’s similarities to Detroit Helped ppl see genius in engineering &
portrayed working class as heroes Fresco process Integrated working class, religion and race
into his murals (1932) Painted Detroit Industry Murals
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Diego Rivera – South Wall of Detroit Industry (1932)
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Diego Rivera – North Wall of Detroit Industry (1932)
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José Orozco
Inspired by the Mexican revolution and political turmoil in Mexico
Wanted to show gaps between social ideals and reality
Had belief that historical events run in a never ending repeating circle
Emphasis on nationalist themes not universal
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José Orozco—House of Tears (1916)
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José Orozco—Catharsis (1934)
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Ben Shahn
Believed art was “one of the last remaining outposts of free speech”
commissioned by the FSA to paint the Jersey homestead murals
Work often inspired by news reports Expression of Jewish experience in America Did some photography for the government
during the depression era Helped Rivera with Man at the Crossroads
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Ben Shahn—Jersey Homesteads (1937)
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Ben Shahn—Scotts Run, West Virginia (1937)
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Moses Soyer Aschan School of Art Learned about “realistic, unglamorous”
representations of everyday life Early in career: murals During G. D. he was asked to paint murals
for WPA Art Project (New Deal) After WWII, focused on female figures &
ballet dancers Not a follower of A. E.
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Moses Soyer—Seven Dancers (1941)
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Raphael Soyer Art Students League (Charles Daniel) Joined brother in WPA Arts Project Champion social justice Changed from urban environment to
interior scenes (women) Taught class @ ASL , working with oil and
lithography Lithography: low, cost method of printing
using lime stones or metal plates
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Raphael Soyer—My Friends (1948)