What do these paintings have in common?

American Regionalism

& Contemporary Communities

Presentation by Katie Morris

Characteristics of Regionalism

Took place in the midwest: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa

Represents Rural Life

People and Places

“Ordinary” Americans

Best known Regionalist artists

Thomas Hart Benton

Grant Wood

John Steuart Curry

Thomas Hart Benton, July Hay, 1943From Neosho, Missouri

Most famous Regionalist

http://www.wikiart.org/en/thomas-hart-benton

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-benton-thomas-hart.htm

Thomas Hart Benton, The Hail Storm, 1940

Thomas Hart Benton, The Wreck of the Ole 97, 1943

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2012/03/lacma-art-hollywood-benton-exhibition-.html

Thomas Hart Benton, Joplin at the Turn of the Century 1896-1906

http://www.joplinmo.org/index.aspx?NID=175

Grant Wood, The Appraisal, 1931

From Anamosa, Iowa

Served in the military and studied art in Europe before returning home to Iowa

http://cultured.com/image/1215/The_Appraisal/#.V2F7FsfHWRs

www.midtod.com

Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930

Mrs.Morris geeking out at the Art Institute of Chicago. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/6565

Wood’s most famous (and most parodied) painting.

John Steuart Curry, Tornado Over Kansas, 1929Born near Dunavant, Kansas

Painted famous mural in Kansas State Capitol Building

http://www.muskegonartmuseum.org/mma-permanent-collection/

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=47557017

John Steuart Curry, Tragic Prelude (John Brown), 1939

https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour-tragic-prelude/16595

John Steuart Curry, Baptism in Kansas, 1928

http://collection.whitney.org/object/2500

John Steuart Curry, Our Good Earth, 1942

http://www.mikeettner.com/03/2014/john-steuart-currys-our-good-earth-an-american-makeover-of-millet/

Works Progress Administration

WPA Created by FDR in 1933

Part of the program funded the arts like murals in public buildings

The art style of the WPA can be described as Regionalist

Keep American culture alive

Regionalist artists were involved Thomas Hart Benton, A Social History of the State of Missouri, 1936Mural in the Missouri Capitol http://benton.truman.edu

Breaking the Prairie, Designed by Grant Wood and painted by Iowa State art students under the direction of Francis McCray, 1936/37 school year.

http://oldartguy.com/Murals.html

John Steuart Curry, Movement of the Population Westward, 1937, Dept. of Justice

https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/department-justice-john-steuart-curry-murals-washington-dc/

Communities: People and Places

Regionalist artists depicted the people and places of rural America- their communities.

How do you define community?

Of which communities are you a part?

Edward Hopper, Gas, 1940http://www.edwardhopper.net/gas.jsp

Challenge: Contemporary Communities

Just like Regionalist artists depicted the people and places of their communities, I want you to brainstorm and come up with a plan for how to make a work of art that shows the people and places of one of YOUR communities.

Today: Brainstorm communities and ideas.

Before November 29th: Sketch or photograph the people & places. I want multiple ideas or the same idea multiple ways. One idea will turn into a longer term project.

Tuesday, November 29th: Share your sketches or photos with classmates and then get idea approved by Mrs.Morris. The longer project can be completed in any medium.