Past Exhibitions
Dorothea Lange: 1935-1942
With selections from the Dorothea Lange Archive at the Oakland Museum of California
As one of America's most notable documentary photographers, Dorothea Lange offers a compelling glimpse into a pivotal period in American history. Marked by the Great Depression (1929-1939) and the tumultuous years leading up to World War II (1939-1945), this exhibition displays Lange's seamless ability to capture the essence of human experience in times of profound hardship. The photographs in this exhibition – selected from the Oakland Museum of California's Dorothea Lange Archive and the United States Library of Congress – showcase Lange's unwavering commitment to documenting history. Focused on the impacts of life in California, these photographs reveal Dust Bowl migrants, braceros (Mexican laborers brought to the U.S. as seasonal agricultural workers), and life within the migrant labor camps.
About the Artist
Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) was an influential American documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her Depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Lange began her career in San Francisco, rapidly establishing a reputation for her powerful portraits. However, it was her evocative images capturing the hardships of the Great Depression, such as the iconic Migrant Mother, that solidified her legacy. Her work provided an intimate portrayal of the struggles faced by ordinary Americans, prompting awareness and advocacy for those suffering. Throughout World War II, Lange documented the forced relocation and internment of Japanese-Americans, again spotlighting civil rights issues with her lens. Her ability to combine artistry with empathy made her one of the most significant photographers of the 20th century, leaving an indelible mark on the realm of documentary photography.
Support for this exhibition provided by Jacki June Horton
Image: Dorothea Lange (1895-1965), Filipinos cutting lettuce. Salinas, California, 1935/2023, digital reproduction from original negative, 11 x 14 in. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-DIG-fsa-8e07356.