Case Study: Migrant Mother - Nick Saccary

Nick Saccary 

In 1936, Dorothea Lange was assigned as a documentary photographer for a project called the Farm Security Administration. During this project, she shot a few photos of a mother and children one night. One of these photos, titled Migrant Mother, just happened to become the most reproduced photograph in history. The photo has made several noteworthy appearances over the years.

But why did this one image make it so far when several other photos were taken? What made "Migrant Mother" stand out from the rest. When examining Migrant Mother, it is apparent that the focus of the picture is the mother and children. The shot is tightly framed and there is nothing other than the family to view. This really brings it in to a personal level where you can practically feel the mothers' love for her children as well as her struggle to make ends meet. The FSA Project was originally started to gather information of the rural poor in response to the economic crisis in 1929. The photographers where employed to capture the destitution and distress brought on by the poor economy. However, it was argued that Lange's photograph gave the notion that the individual was too blame for their unfortunate situation rather than the systematic failure. I would argue against this however. The photo gives off a very uneasy   where I am left feeling sympathetic for the mother. Her children cling on to her with love while her eyes make me believe that she is doing everything in her power to support her beloved children.

Lange’s “Immigrant Mother” has also been commented on being one of the first documentary photographs to be displayed as aesthetically pleasing artwork as well. This is significant because when the photograph is displayed in a magazine or in the context of social conditions, the photograph is commonly interpreted along with the content that it is displayed with. In contrast, when the photo is displayed as a standalone work of art in a museum, gallery, or what have you, the photo becomes open to interpretation. The meaning of the photograph expands beyond what is written alongside the photograph. 
I believe that the only truthful way to view this photograph is seeing it by itself without any context. When viewed as a standalone piece, the photograph portrays a mother who is willing to go "and has already been through" to unthinkable lengths for the sake of her children. The photo is a beacon of hope for anyone struggling to make ends meet.