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Posters for Indian Court Exhibition at Golden Gate International Exhibition, San Francisco: Louis B. Siegrist, 1939 (Works Progress Administration Collection, Library of Congress)
Monday, 10 January 2011
Indian Court: Louis B. Siegrist
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3 comments:
Wonderful posters! Do you know why they made different posters for the same exposition? Are these publicity posters for the exhibition?
Julia,
I'm so pleased that you enjoyed these.
Louis Siegrist was an excellent painter from this area who was one of many talented artists put to work on the projects of the WPA, a New Deal agency that did wonderful work in helping this country to recover from the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The WPA played a big role in the Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939, which celebrated, among other things, the construction of two great bridges here, both projects substantially assisted by the WPA.
The Exposition was ahead of its time in representing cultural diversity in this country. The Siegrist posters, with their representation of Native American arts, are an example. Women artists were significantly represented; Dorothea Lange, who also lived hereabouts, put together a great documentary photography exhibit. The overall theme of the Exposition was "Pan-Pacific", so there was a strong representation of the many cultures of the Pacific Rim, Polynesia in particular.
The WPA poster projects in different regions across the country produced some magnificent work.
See: Wild Life: WPA Posters 1936-1940.
In the current great economic and spiritual Depression in this country there is nothing remotely like the WPA. For that matter, most people have never even heard of it.
Siempre disfruto tus posts, Tom, aunque a veces permanezca callada... :)
Thanks for your explanation and the link to the older post ¡wonderful images! I really love them.
In the current spiritual depression you blog is a lighthouse that guides us all.
¡Saludos!
(And now, for something completely different, I'll try to work!)
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