Sunday, March 15, 2009

Depression Era Art

This 1934 painting amuses me somehow:



Courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum which is opening a new exhibit of Depression Era Art in order to capitalize on the "Great Recession" as they call our current economic conditions. Kind of clever, I guess.

So you have this state-sponsored artwork that shows the messy consequences of "progress" and productivity and growth. Well, you have to use energy to actually make things happen so it seems a natural thing for Tofel to paint and "honor" the factories as an important part of the scene. I'm pretty sure that a state-sponsored "Great Recession" artist would not be allowed to promote such politically incorrect things as smoke stacks. ;-)

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