Migrant Mother case analysis

Migrant Mother, 1936, Dorothea Lange

Related to Politics and ideology

Lange’s photography for the FSA stemmed from her political and ideological beliefs. “Unlike Evans, Dorothea Lange came to the RA [Resettlement Administration in 1937 it became FSA] in 1935 with a sure sense of social justice and how photography could reveal inequity. … During the early Depression Lange photographed labour demonstrations and breadlines in San Francisco. Her work with activist-economist Paul Taylor, whom she subsequently married, focused her attention on the plight of migrant farm workers.” “After her five years with the RA/FSA, Lange continued to make photographs that accorded with her concern for social justice.” (Marien 2006: 281-282)

Marien’s comments regarding Lange’s photographic work prior to joining the RA and after leaving the FSA illustrates her work was ideological.

Personally, I find Lange’s 1960 comments about the shoot indicate that she looked at the issue of social justice on a macro level, American agricultural society as a whole, as opposed to the micro level of the individual by her own admission that she did not ask the woman’s name or history. In the Wells reading on page 44, although on the topic of gendered image the statement, “Her consuming empathy for her subjects became synonymous with her subjects’ caring for their children.” only reinforces my belief of Lange’s overall ideological view. 

Interesting too that in 1960 Lange says, “She had just sold the tires from her car to buy food.” when the caption from the Library of Congress Farm Security Administration Collection (link in the assignment sheet) item number 2 says, “These people had just sold their tent in order to buy food.” The sale of either their tires or their tent would be equally devastating. Obviously, Lange had nothing to gain personally by the conflicting information since the images belonged to the FSA but it does make me wonder what if anything was sold.

 Discussed in relation to class, race and gender

I look at Migrant Mother as a timeless photo that could have been taken anytime up to the present in the United States or Eastern Europe. The gender and race seem undoubtedly to be female and Caucasian. I can but wonder about the class of the woman without the context of time and place. Knowing the image was taken in the United States during the 1930s I can surmise she is a victim of the Great Depression. The state of the clothing she is wearing and that of the child on the right with holes and tattered sleeve; the apparent dirty robe on the infant and his/her dirty face lead me to believe they have fallen on hard times. The woman’s apparent far off gaze draws me into the photo to try and determine what she is thinking and what is happening in her life.

I see this as a timeless image because if I were to be told it was taken in the 1960s or later in the Southern Appalachia area of the United States or taken in the 1980s in a war torn area of Eastern Europe I would just as easily accept that as the time and place of the photo. The style of the clothing does not necessarily give anything away. Perhaps a botanist could identify the out of focus tree to determine species and location but that is dubious to say the least. It is probably this timelessness of the image that has kept it at the forefront of most recognised photographs. 

Leo Sayer - Gerard Hugh Sayer (1948- ) Australia Day Citizenship 26 January 2009, © Paul Livingston

Leo Sayer having just become an Australian Citizen with his partner (far right) and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his wife Therese Rein

Leo meeting people

Leo completing his voter registration form

Leo and Paul House, Indigenous Musician 

Leo and Aboriginal Elder Matilda House

Viewed primarily as social and historical evidence


This set of photographs were taken on Australia Day 2009 documenting the Citizenship Ceremony in Canberra officiated by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Leo Sayer was Canberra's poster boy/Ambassador for encouraging people to take up Australian citizenship in the lead up to Australia Day. The Australia Day events, but especially the citizenship ceremony, is both a social and historical event in the lives of the individuals making their commitment to Australia and to their families and a historical event happening in Canberra relating to the growth of the Nation. Sayer is a world renowned singer-songwriter, musician and entertainer who immigrated to Australia in 2005. The photos document his naturalisation officiated by Prime Minister Rudd and Sayer's registration on the Australian Electoral Roll. Although there are only a few images of the many taken these five represent the naturalisation ceremony; voting registration; a portrait of the man; his interest in music and engagement with Paul House an indigenous musician who played for the opening of the ceremony; and his engagement with Aboriginal Elder Matilda House who officiated providing the 'Welcome to County' address and ceremony on behalf of the Ngunnawal people, the traditional custodians of the Canberra region. It is a record of the event.

Investigated in relation to the intentions of the photographer and the particular context of its making


photojournalistic work. Determining the intention and context of an artist work is difficult if not impossible without some hints or narrative from the artist them self. Until this assignment these photos, along with others from the same day, were in my photo library for some future, as yet undetermined use. The selection of these five for the assignment gave rise to the narrative applied in relation social and historical evidence.

References:

Marien, MW, 2006, Photography: A Cultural History, 2^nd Edn., Laurence King Publishing, London