Bates Museum of Art Podcast

In 1936, Arthur Rothstein created the black and white photograph, Migrant Family Oklahoma, which depicts a family of six in front of their car. Through his lens, Rothstein captured the realities of migrant farmers displaced as a result of the Dust Bowl. This image, which was commissioned by the Farm Security Administration as a part of a larger series, is still a valued historical document today. This podcast explores the impacts of photography on the American public during both the 1930s and the present day. How did photographers such as Arthur Rothstein, Dorothea Lange, and Walker Evans shape our view of major historical events like the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression? What are the ethical concerns surrounding Rothstein’s photograph Migrant Family Oklahoma and other documentary photographs by the Farm Security Administration? Tune in to hear more!

In this episode, Olivia Torrington ‘27 and Leo Silverman ‘27 analyze the composition and impact of the 2002 documentary photograph titled Untitled (1), taken in China by Chinese photographer Ming Zhou. Through intricate visual analysis, we explore both the overt and obscure stylistic choices Zhou employs to portray a narrative of oppression and compliance in China. We contextualize this documentary image using historical information and relevant sources on the complexities of Mao Zedong’s historic rule in China. Through understanding the lasting impact of communism and oppression left by former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, we dissect Zhou’s characterization of modern Chinese society and strive to understand how past and current Chinese policy remain interconnected. We discuss the visual and metaphorical contrasts Zhou presents in his image through compositional elements and the parallels they draw. Overall, we analyze the ability of Untitled (1) to truthfully document a scene as well as the intricacies of Chinese society that have led to that point.

In this podcast, we delve into a photograph by Larry Fink from the Harlem Youth Congressional School Collection. Taken in February of 1964, this image depicts a well-dressed Black man delivering a speech to a relatively large audience. Rendered in black and white, the photograph explores the intersection of race, power dynamics, community, and ethnography. Through the lens of documentary photography, specifically we investigate the historical context of Kodak’s Shirley Card and its role in the systemic exclusion of Black people from photographic documentation until its revision in 1995.

Our podcast questions why photographic technology was not originally designed to encompass the experiences and lives of Black individuals. Furthermore, we examine the impact of Larry Fink’s racial perspective on the composition and narrative of this photograph. Dissecting Fink’s thesis, we’ll consider how Fink’s whiteness taints the photograph, examining the ethics behind his qualifications, as well as the ethnographic implications. Additionally, we draw comparisons between this image and Fink’s prior ethnographic work, analyzing how this photo functioned as documentation. Building on top of our own analysis, we bring in theorists such as Tina Campt, Sarah Lewis, and Shawn Michelle Smith to provide a sharp insight into the systemic implications and intersections of Blackness in documentary photography.

This podcast explores the photographer Ernst Haas and his photograph Homecoming Prisoner taken in 1948. Through visual analysis and critical thinking, we will attempt to unearth the photographs' meaning and message. We start by diving into Ernst Haas’s life and career that leads up to the creation of the photograph. We then analyze the story and meaning behind this famous and emotionally provocative photograph of a lone soldier returning home from war. Homecoming Prisoner is significant and unique because of its melancholy undertones and interesting physical features, and it tells a political story about Western society and its acceptance of war veterans during this time period after World War II. Exploration of body language and orientation as well as framing and structure reinforce a narrative about World War II veterans who have returned home. Through historical context and viewing the photograph through a documentary lens, we will together build a schema to further our understanding of this intricate photograph.

Most of us know Serena Williams to be one of the most accomplished female tennis stars or athletes known in the US. But how do we, as outsiders of her personal life, truly view her? This image, “Serena Williams, Key Biscaayne, Fl.,” by Walter Iooss captures Williams in a limousine, dressed up for an event, fixing her makeup. It depicts her high social, financial, and athletic standing. We aim to ask and understand questions surrounding the significance of the photo beyond what the eye sees. How can we interpret Iooss' work? How do we see Serena Williams through this image? Who is she as an athlete? Who is she as a female? Who is she as an African American in America? How does this documentary photo shape or change our view on Williams as both an athlete and a person? This podcast aims to not only answer these questions, but to further discuss Williams as a powerful figure in the sports world, and address her intersectionality as an African American woman and athlete.

In this podcast, we explore Walker Evans’ work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA), specifically his photograph Store with false front. Vicinity of Selma, Alabama. We engage with Roy Stryker’s mission, capturing “America for Americans,” and the politics behind the collection. Simultaneously, we address Evans’ desire to make an artistic product and what this means for the truth value of a documentary image. Engaging in close visual analysis of Store with false front. Vicinity of Selma, Alabama, we discuss the aestheticization of poverty and labor and the role of the human body within the context of Evans' works. We also explore another FSA photograph by Arthur Rothstein, entitled Sign, Birmingham, Alabama, and discuss how it also engages with the politics of the FSA and promotes cultural stereotypes. We end by wrestling with a critical question, do documentary images have any objective truths at all?

This podcast is centered around the 1991 Nan Coulter photograph, Azle, Texas: War Decor, Photographs in America, which features a building with yellow ribbons on the doors. The hosts, Savannah Compare and Ava Steinberger, will analyze the symbolism in the composition of the image, as well as tie the image into the complexities of war photography and how much it varies and symbolizes within the larger context of war. The ribbons in the Nan Coulter photograph signify American civilian’s solidarity with the soldiers fighting in the Gulf War, and their universal nature allowed for the public to use them in order to shape whatever message they wanted to send. This podcast will connect the versatility of the ribbons to the complexity of war images and how they all represent a wide range of perspectives regarding war.

The National Child Labor Committee, founded in 1904, was dedicated to promoting social reform as it pertains to child labor. Hired by the NCLC, Lewis Hine advocated for photography as a medium of education. Describing his craft as “detective work” he was an investigative photojournalist capturing the dire conditions of child labor in New England. Among the earliest examples of documentary photography in America, A Sweeper in the Hill, assumes the position as a symbol of the common exploitation of child labor and photojournalism. The motives behind Lewis Hine and the NCLC as a whole reveals the troubling truths about the conditions of the workplace and the ill treatment of children in the early 18th century. What can we learn from A Sweeper in the Hill and other photos within the collection in regards to the document as a reform device?

Can a photograph ever just be a photograph? [or is there always a communicated message from a photograph as a record?] This podcast analyzes Jurgen Schadeberg’s photograph, We Won't’ Move, shot in the shantytown of Sophiatown in 1955. Jurgen Schadeberg was a white photographer who immigrated to South Africa from Germany. He was renowned for his work in the South African magazine Drum at the beginning of South African Apartheid, from 1951 to 1959. He leverages the composition of his photograph to visualize power dynamics during South African apartheid. Jurgen Schadeberg’s image emphasizes the importance of context and artistic choice in creating a powerful, photographic record. This podcast will not only reveal the story behind Schadeberg’s photograph but also compare it to similar works by black photographers working in South Africa during apartheid.

Welcome to "Through the Lens of History: Unveiling America's Dust Bowl," where I, Samantha Simmons, delve into the captivating world of documentary photography. In this episode, I transport you to the heart of the Dust Bowl era, exploring Arthur Rothstein's iconic photograph Fleeing A Dust Storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma. Join me as I unravel the visual and emotional layers of this powerful image, shedding light on the resilience of those facing environmental adversity during one of the most challenging periods in American history. I dissect the composition, lighting, and background, unveiling the emotional impact and artistic intent behind Rothstein's lens. Through discussions, I explore the historical context, significance, and cultural legacy of this photograph, examining its role in shaping public perception and documenting the human experience during the Dust Bowl era. Join me on this visual journey through the lens of history, connecting with the past and appreciating the enduring power of documentary photography.

As individuals living in a technologically advanced society, we have access to images on a daily basis and are trained to believe everything before our eyes. Rarely do we stop and question the intentionality behind an image or its neutrality, making us easy subjects for manipulation. This podcast examines the ever-changing role of the camera in China from the start of the Mao Zedong era (1949 - 1976) to the present. While this history is not linear, it is clear the camera has been used as a tool for political messaging. Our chosen photograph and the focus of this episode Government 04, Shanghai taken by Luo Yongjin in 2006 materializes this notion through its portrayal of a Chinese government building. At first glance, the structure looks remarkably similar to the U.S. Capitol, embodying the growth of China’s influence on the international level. Ultimately serving as commentary for the Chinese government’s illegitimate spending methods on Westernizing spaces rather than improving the lives of everyday citizens. How and why you might ask? Well, tune in as we examine just how powerful the documentary photograph really is.

In this podcast, hosts Simone Obregon and Hollis Hale discuss the photograph Guerrilla Zone, taken by Donna DeCesare in 1988. They delve into the history behind this photograph, talking about the El Salvadoran Civil War and the context in which this photograph is understood. Analyzing the image alongside another piece of DeCesare’s work, Untitled (2001) as well as an image of Robert Nickelson’s, Untitled (1992), born out of the same conflict; they question the perspective of which the photograph was taken and how it impacts its truth value. They question and break down how exactly Guerrilla Zone portrays the Salvadoran Civil War and how it highlights the power dynamics present between both the two conflicting parties within El Salvador, as well as DeCesare and her subjects. Through this use of visual and historical analysis, Hollis and Simone are able to determine the documentary value of DeCesare’s work.

In this episode, Bates first-year Carly Philpott and Monmouth Academy senior Izzy Hamann use photography to dive into the rich history of women and the LGBTQ+ community in Northampton, Massachusetts. Through this, they attempt to find some context in Donna Ferrato’s 1994 image of Ketta McGraw and Jaye Pope holding their first child, entitled Immaculate Conception. They cover topics such as the place of same-sex relationships in popular media and culture. Carly and Izzy also discuss the mural included in Ferrato’s photograph, which depicts women in Northampton in several centuries of women’s rights movements spanning from 1600-1980 and reinforces Ferrato’s feminist message. In order to unpack the visual meaning of this composition, an overview of women’s civil rights is covered and how minorities of race, class, and sexuality affected the future of women such as McGraw and Pope starting a family. Ferrato’s other photography will also be included in this analysis in order to compare and contrast to Immaculate Conception.

Peter and Prof. Erin Nolan discuss the upcoming series of student made, research based podcasts on documentary photography in the museum collection.

Peter sits down with Professors Wes Chaney, Kirk Read, and Jeremy Cornelius to talk about how their classes and research have connected with the museum and how disparate disciplines can all draw on the collection. Season 2 finale!

Links to works discussed:

Peter joins Lola Buczkowski '25, Josephine Woodruff '24, Samantha Gabel '26, Keira January '25, Jensen Nida '24, and Lucy Sterba '26 to talk about their recent research into art and artists featured in our current exhibitions. Come and see them for yourself!

Nick '26 turns the tables to interview Peter '22 about his position at the museum, why he took the job, the opportunities and challenges of working in the museum, and analogizing the museum to Star Wars and Star Trek.

Peter sits down with Nick, Anthony, Corie, and Samantha to discuss all things Halloween from the museum collection.

In this episode, Peter sits down with the museum's Lead Preparator, Prof. Michel Droge, to discuss the skills and creativity needed to be a preparator and an artist. Topics range from the relationship between art and preparation to Greek poetry to the wonders of the deep sea.

In this episode, Peter sits down with Prof. Erin Nolan to discuss her recent class "Decolonizing the Museum." Topics include the many factors that go into repatriation, the power and meaning of collections, the future of museums. See the links below to explore the museums discussed in the episode.

In this special episode, Peter and Lucy interview each of our 2023 Winter Semester Exhibitions Interns about research they have been doing for the museum, both for their gallery talks in the museum and our upcoming exhibitions of portraits and self-portraits. Topics include the artist's process, the craft movement, photojournalism, and a surprise merman.

In this episode, Peter and Lucy interview our new Assistant Curator Samantha Sigmon about her background in museums, the power of places, and how she feels about living in Maine. If you want to learn more about Samantha's work and some of the projects discussed in the episode, click the link below: