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Dorothea Lange And The Farm Security Agency Essay

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Dorothea Lange and the Farm Security Agency:

From 1935 - 1944, the photographic program of the Farm Security Administration, embarked on a nationwide quest to document, collect and create a pictorial record of American life during the 1930s and 1940s. Spanning all fifty states, the photographers produced more than 175,000 black and white negatives, crafting one of the most immense and important photographic compositions in American history. Created by the federal government, the photography project spanned several government agencies, from the Resettlement Administration, the Farm Security Administration, and the Office of War Information. Although the photographic program of the Farm Security Administration was initially aimed at supporting the New Deal, the images produced had far more reaching sociological and cultural impacts, all the while redefining the art of photography.
Ever since the camera was invented in 1839, the very nature of photography has been questioned. With the increasing advent of photographic technology, photography has become an egalitarian expression of society and community. With one press of a button, an image is captured for eternity, bringing to question the inherent artistic quality of photographs. If we can so quickly capture an image, can this be deemed art? Art is to promote fantasy, and dream, to incite anger and joy. Thus, surely photography is an art, as seen through its capturing of beautiful verdant landscapes, and the horrendous

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