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.

1. Social Realism(1930’s-1960’s) Presented by: Victor Hicks & Erin Spencer

2. 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

3. 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

4. Influences on Social Realism Great Depression Mexican Revolution Industrial Revolution American Gothic (Icon)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Grant Wood – American Gothic (1930)

9. Grant Wood’s Sister and his Dentist

10. Connected Movements Regionalism Idealism

11. 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

12. Thomas Hart Benton—Ballad of the Jealous Lover (1934)

13. 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

14. Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive – William F. Buckley, Jr.

15. Photography Dorothea Lange Walker Evans

16. 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.

17. Dorothea Lange – Migrant Mother (1936)

18. Florence Thompson and her Family

19. Dorothea Lange – White Angel Breadline (1933)

20. 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

21. Walker Evans—Tenant Farmers Wife (1936)

22. Walker Evans—Easton Pennsylvania (1935)

23. Mexican Muralist Movement Diego Rivera José Orozco

24. 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

25. Diego Rivera – South Wall of Detroit Industry (1932)

26. Diego Rivera – North Wall of Detroit Industry (1932)

27. 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

28. José Orozco—House of Tears (1916)

29. José Orozco—Catharsis (1934)

30. 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

31. Ben Shahn—Jersey Homesteads (1937)

32. Ben Shahn—Scotts Run, West Virginia (1937)

33. 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.

34. Moses Soyer—Seven Dancers (1941)

35. 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

36. Raphael Soyer—My Friends (1948)