The workforce in the United States of America has undergone tremendous changes since the turn of the 19th century. From newer (and far better) labor laws to sustainable work-life balance to wage increases, America has undergone drastic changes in the labor department in the past century. However, despite the progress, research shows we stand divided on varied matters, including labor unions, gender pay gaps, race discrimination, and much more. To give a visual voice to these ongoing changes and challenges in society and the economy, the International Center of Photography (ICP) announces a new exhibition that explores how labor and workplaces have transitioned over the years.
The lead image is by Mickey Pallas. All images are courtesy of the International Center of Photography. Used with permission.
Curated by Makeda Best, photography historian and Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Oakland Museum of California, the new ICP exhibition examines the works of 40 distinct photographers in the institute’s collection. Titled American Job: 1940-2011, the showcase displays over 130 images, along with photo books and other photo and text-based stories. According to ICP, these works include celebrated projects and lesser-seen series by renowned photographers. The pictures, which were created by photojournalists and documentary photographers, offer an intimate (and a well-informed) glimpse into 20th-century America.
Best notes that the curation for the showcase hopes to shed light on “the connection between labor and human rights” and the role of labor in American documentary photography. ICP reveals that the works have been divided into five sections, each following a chronological timeline. The inaugural series to welcome visitors will focus on trade union and strike activity in the 1940s and 1950s. Here, the images were created with icons such as Arnold Eagle, Otto Hagel, W. Eugene Smith, and Todd Webb. However, following the world wars and the boom of the American economy, our society linked labor to media and politics, which photographers Cornell Capa, Robert Frank, Danny Lyon, and Bill Wood have captured. In the 1960s, with the Civil Rights movement, labor was intrinsically tied to race, as seen in the pictures by Gordon Parks, Dan Weiner,
Charles Moore and more.
Left: Photograph by Cornell Capa, [John F. Kennedy shaking hands, Michigan], 1960. Right: Photograph by Otto Hagel. Ford Plant Being Organized. Union organizers would go to worker’s homes. If they met at the plant, workers would be blacklisted, 1940.
In the next section, which focuses on the 1970s, Bettye Lane, Freda Leinwand, Susan Meiselas, and Sophie Rivera’s images depict the role of women in the workforce. This was a crucial period; before this, women were only tethered to their homes and families. With economic necessities and the changes in culture and norms, many women became activists and fought for their right to work. Furthermore, photobooks and ephemera from this time also showcase photography’s contribution to occupational health through the works of Earl Dotter, Builder Levy, and Ken Light. A decade later, photographers Per Brandin and Barabara Norfleet also document their understanding of the ‘service’ labor, which showcases people working in restaurants, corporate jobs, factories, and civil service.
Left: Photograph by Bettye Lane. NY City Hall ‘For Jobs’ demonstration, 1977. Right: Photograph by Todd Webb. Jones and Laughlin Steel Workers Relaxing, 1946.
While all these sections largely depicted how labor is tied to personal and collective action, the 1990s showcased the impact of lack of work. Chien-Chi Chang, Joseph Rodriguez, and Dylan Vitone document the aftermath of large unemployment in certain communities. The ICP exhibit also showcases the impact of the financial crash in 2008 and the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement protests.
In today’s world, these images provide valuable insights and further highlight the importance of unions, strikes, and the struggle against capitalism. American Job: 1940-2011 is a compelling exhibition that reflects the exploitation and malpractices within labor. It also serves as a catalyst for important discussions and the fight for our rights.
The exhibition will be on view from January 23 to May 5, 2025. For more information, visit the International Center of Photography’s website.