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1934: Economic Struggle and Artistic Force

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Discussion of the 1930s often paints a bleak picture of Great Depression turmoil. Families suffered and unemployment rates continued to rise. However, the 1930s also brought about innovation in the arts and humanities; New Deal programs put Americans back to work, and WPA efforts added color and excitement in communities.

 

It’s this artistic excitement that’s the focus of the current exhibit at the Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA). 1934: A New Deal for Artists is a Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Public Works of Art Project, created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. This program worked with artists across the country to depict the “American scene,” through cityscapes, landscapes and lifestyle depictions.

 

The MMA, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, found great relevance in the 1934 exhibit, especially when considering that the museum’s permanent collection includes a rich selection of American artwork from the late 1880s to 1940s, particularly in the area of American Regionalism. The 1934 exhibit, open until May 6, would be the perfect avenue to expand and showcase the efforts and actions of New Deal programs in West Michigan.

 

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Many people may be able to tell you about the New Deal programs implemented by President Roosevelt, or how the Works Progress Administration (WPA) employed millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operation of arts, media, drama and literacy projects. But what about how those programs directly affected the area in which you live in?

 

Through multiple collaborations, the MMA hopes West Michiganians will learn about how WPA workers shaped the area. For example, did you know WPA workers had a pivotal role in the first exhibits of the Lakeshore Museum Center, formerly the Muskegon County Museum?

 

 “Whenever we have an exhibition, we try really hard to bring in things from our community and the area,” said Catherine Mott, Curator of Education for the MMA and project director for this grant. “They’re not just pieces (of artwork) hanging on the wall, but something that will hold.”

 

Supporting programs with collaborators have allowed the MMA to expand discussion regarding the 1930s to topics such as President Roosevelt, quilt-making, depression lectures and more. A collage of the humanities: art, music, discussion, history and culture.

 

“It’s amazing the amount of work, and all of the programming and things that we’re able to provide that are applicable to this exhibition,” Mott said.

 

The MMA is collaborating with Grand Valley State University and the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. They are also partnering with the Lakeshore Museum Center.

 

spacer GVSU, specifically the Art Gallery and Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, will host numerous campus events related to this project. The MMA has loaned artwork from their collection to the GVSU Art Gallery to host an exhibit, “Regionalism and the Art of the WPA: Selections from the Muskegon Museum of Art.” This exhibit will be open, free of charge, until March 23.

 

“There are works from the 1930s that many people will recognize the names of … prints and things like that from the 1930s that reflect the era,” Mott said. “So people who went here (MMA), and there (GVSU), can see how it ties in.”

 

In addition, GVSU hosted a President Roosevelt performer, who created a sense of the 1930s for the audience. It was a great way for the audience to hear of the president’s role in the decade and what his programs did through the New Deal. Students are also involved at GVSU, with a musical performance of Aaron Copeland & the Cradle Will Rock, by the GVSU Chamber Music Ensemble & Opera Theater Program.

 

Some events held at the MMA, free of charge, include:

 

Pare Lorentz, New Deal Filmmaker
March 15 @ 7 p.m.
Lecture and film presented by E.J. Hamacher
Funded by FDR’s Resettlement Administration, the short-lived U.S. Film Service (1935-40) bucked Hollywood and set out to make its own films about the struggles of the American people. Outspoken film critic Pare Lorentz was put in charge of this new program and he recruited a stable of top talent from the radical artists associated with the New York Film and Photo League.

 

Quilt Lecture: Making Do … Surviving the Great Depression
March 29 @ 7 p.m.
Presented by Kathy Kansier
Learn what events caused the Great Depression and what life was like during that time. Kansier will share photos, aprons, dollies, fabrics and quilts from the time when everyone learned how to “make do.” Bring your own quilts from the 1930s and learn more about them from this award-winning quilter, educator and certified quilt appraiser.

 

An Evening of Student and Worker Writers
April 5 @ 6 p.m.
Presented by John Beck: Our Daily Work, Our Daily Lives Project at Michigan State University
Enjoy readings by both GVSU students and Michigan worker writers that touch on the experience of working. The worker writers are current or retired employees from General Motors, the Postal Service and other workplaces.

 

Additional event dates and details can be found here or at www.muskegonartmuseum.org.

 

The MMA is also working with the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District to provide an educational element to the exhibit and supporting programs. A teacher’s guide has been made available online with other resources.

 

“I think we’re really celebrating the exhibition, the (art) museum in its 100th year, and celebrating our partners,” Mott said. “We’ve had wonderful partners in GVSU and the Lakeshore Museum. There’s great collaboration showing the viability of the arts and humanities in Michigan.

 

“Our time reflects the 1930s almost. It’s a hard time for the arts and humanities, and we’re striving to provide quality programs and keeping the museum as a viable resource in the state.”

 

For more information on this exhibit, admission rates and the MMA, please visit www.muskegonartmuseum.org or call (231) 720-2571.

 

 

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