ABSTRACT
As Lange contemplated “things as they are,” other artists in the 1930s similarly pursued art forms that explored social injustice and the lives of common Americans. The federal government supported more than ten thousand artists in this period. It commissioned artists to fill public spaces such as post offices or federal courthouses. Lange captured events with her camera. She took photos at strike rallies, where men were tense and coiled for action, and she took portraits of California labor leaders. She photographed Tom Mooney, socialist and former Wobbly. Mooney became a worldwide cause celebre in 1916 when a bomb killed ten during a World War I “preparedness parade.” Lange’s new direction caught the attention of those outside her art circle, including the agricultural economist, Paul Taylor. Lange and Taylor met for the first time on this two-day outing in late September of 1934 and each became enthused with the other’s commitments and work methods.
