The best of her FSA years

After Russell Lee and Arthur Rothstein I think Marion Post Wolcott was the most prolific of the FSA photographers (over the years there were forty-four employed in all) though she only worked for the agency from 1938 to 1941. This book covers the main assignments that MPW undertook during these years. West Virgina and Greenbelt (Maryland) in 1938, the South (including Florida) 1939, New England and the West 1941.

With a quick count I think the book has about 230 photos and they clearly reveal that she had a good social eye for the types of photos FSA wanted. So many of them capture the moment without those in the frame seeming to be aware of her presence. The sequence of Florida photos show the wealthy enjoying the sun and beach yet mixed in with these, in the same state, migrant labor is spending long hours each day harvesting fruit and vegtables in huge fields. The Florida photos were part of a seven month assignment in the South with its cotton and agricultural economy. There are some wonderful photos of small town street scenes, people working or relaxing with friends over a game of cards.

Photos of New England in 1940 and the West in 1941 are more of a snapshot of life in these locations rather than images revealing poverty, the Depression was slowly giving way to better times across the country and when WW2 started it meant a positive upturn for the economy. I found one chapter in the book quite fascinating: Greenbelt. Situated not far from Washington and a planned community built by the Department of Agriculture and based on the European garden city idea of housing, open spaces, pedestrian walkways and community affairs all working together. The twenty-one photos give a very positive feel to living in Greenbelt yet turn a few pages either side of this chapter and the reality of the Depression and poverty is apparent in other parts of America.

This book is one of six the author has written about FSA photographers and the one I enjoyed the most because of the quality of the photography. The author has taken a fresh approach to using FSA pictures by combining them with interesting background material about the locations and life of the people that MPW captured in her work.