Regionalism In Grant Wood

Through the years of the 1930s and 1940s, it a time booming for artists. During the great depression was a not an era for economic growth. In fact it was one of the longest and deepest economic downturn in the history of the Western Industrialized world. This was the time after the stock market crash in 1929, which sent Wall Street into panic and cleaned out investors. However, during the 11 years of the great depression from 1933 to 1943, the federal tax dollars allowed artists, musicians, actors, and creative minds alike. This was the first time that the government allowed and sponsored the creative minds to explore and flourish. During this troublesome time created many artists and forms of artistry. The struggle and poverty during the

He was the spokesman for Regionalist painters during the movement. One of the most famous paintings that Grant Wood created was the American Gothic. The painting was immediately a huge hit to the public. It was submitted to the annual exhibition in 1930 at the Art Institute of Chicago. It won a medal and then in newspapers immediately across the US. Essentially, the American Gothic was what made Grant Wood famous. This was the image that inspired the rise of regionalism. Every element of this image can be mined for meaning and not only that, it has. Each critic and enthusiasts have created or looked for more meaning in the picture and every detail. Something that I found interesting was that the models never posed together. In fact the house was created separately as well. Another shocking factor was this image was intended to be a depict of a older daughter and her father, not a wife and a husband. A great quote in the film, Grant Wood – American Gothic of describing the image and each minor

Each image artwork created some sort of movement or motivation for others to aim and create images as these three artists have. The American Gothic creates an interaction that allows minor details to be interpreted and viewed in different ways. This also created an emotional stir for those in Iowa, as this is not how Iowans wanted to be depicted. The meaning of the image continues to shift year by year and many interpretations and imagery was stressed. Through the years the image was criticized and interpreted in many different ways. The painting, I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold by Charles Demuth was a futuristic and cubism approach. Although, it did not create a strong presence for social reform. The meaning behind the image was personal. It was a painting to the demuth’s friend and as well as his friend’s poem The Great Figure. The No. 5 1948 was a key work in the abstract expressionist movement. This painting was the marker of the birth of action painting. Such artwork and movements as these can stir and reform a society and social movements. Creating emotions and freedom or interpretation to the