After reading through the case study on ‘Migrant Mother’ by Dorothea Lange, my view on the image has been shifted. While formally this image is still very powerful, I believe that presenting it alone, out of context, has desensitized viewers to the full effects of the depression and the severity of the situation the women pictured was in. Also, I think it crosses ethical lines as far as the disregard for the subject itself after the photo became iconic.
As the case study states “…this photograph has been used and contextualized in a number of ways “…[N]ot only as a photographs; it has appeared on a USA postage stamp and has acted as a source for cartoons” and magazine covers. Lange says she was uninterested in the the subject’s “name or her history,” which makes me question the intention of the photograph. Who is this really benefiting?
The “Migrant Mother,” Florence Thompson, featured in the image was not tracked down until decades later and was found living in a trailer home in California. After researching her story a bit more online, I found that in 1983, Thompson had a stroke and could not afford her hospital bills. Her children were able to raise $15,000 in donations using her identity from Lange’s photograph, but that was just enough to cover medical expenses. Florence passed away soon after. Had her identity been known from the start, just as Lange’s identity was known, Thompson’s life could have turned out differently.
While I understand that Lange was sent to document the devastation caused by the Great Depression and that even though she may not have been paid a lot of money at the time for her FSA work, her photography of Thompson was definitely a stepping stone for her future success. In 2005, one of her photos sold for $822,400.
I feel that the lack of efforts to contact Thompson and offer some sort of compensation (at least enough to make sure her family was well fed), after the photo became so iconic, was very insensitive. Especially when the United States felt that her suffering was worthy of being featured on a postage stamp.
2 comments:
Fallon, I understand your argument about crossing ethical lines but I do not think it is right to call into question the intention of the photograph based on the lack of interest by Lange to acquire the personal information of Florence Thompson. The idea at the time the photograph was taken was to depict what was happening around the country during the depression. Thompson became an iconic figure and symbol quickly but not because she was Florence Thompson. She was iconic because she was a woman struggling during the depression trying to raise seven children. That was relatable to millions around the country during the depression.
I do truly believe that the intention of the postage stamps, magazine articles and covers, and cartoons was to spread awareness of what was happening around the country. It was how people ingested their imagery and news at the time.
I also do not think it is fair to say that just because this photo contributed to Lange's future success makes her taking of this image unethical.
Fallon, I tend to agree with you. I understand that "The Migrant Mother" is meant to represent all mothers struggling during the Depression and not just one mother (i.e. Florence). However, I felt that regardless of the intention to spread awareness that this was exploitative, especially in light of the research that you did. I felt that Lange certainly benefited greatly form the photograph, surely both monetarily and in her career. I find it very unfair that Thompson was never contacted or compensated for the image or Lange's success. Altogether, This was a great and thorough analysis of the issue.
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