Franklin Roosevelt Public Art Analysis

An artist is struggling to make a living; she has two children who cannot predict when their next meal is. The artist heard that the WPA (the Works Progress Administration) was funding for the arts as part of a relief program. She was ecstatic to hear she could finally obtain a job to provide for her family. This artist was put in the position of poverty because after WWI, the economy was booming and the American society went through a prosperous period known as the Roaring 20s. In 1929, there was an excessive amount of spending, thus the stock market crashed (History). This devastation affected every class because people from various classes invested their money into stocks. As a part of a relief program for the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt …show more content…
Therefore if the WPA did not fund for the arts during the Great Depression, it could have taken away that creative escape that so many artists had found during that dark time. Pablo Picasso emphasizes the idea of art benefiting one’s health in saying, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life”(Alban). This is illustrating that art is a purifying for the soul, and helps focus the mind on other more important things rather than living in self pity. In saying this, it provides a sense of relief and comfort, and allows the ability for flexibility. Which also allows the artist to perfect their skill which therefore increases their self confidence and will reflected in their art. Without the arts being funded during this time, than these sad people would have never found their escape. When talking about more equal pay in the working place it is stated that because of the W.P.A.,“professional women were treated more equally to men, especially in the federal arts, music, theater and writers’ projects” (“The Works”). This is an example of the beginning of the women’s suffrage movement, where women realize they had the potential and a voice, similar to those who were oppressed because of their race. The arts were able to bring together the sexist views and were able to place men and women in the same playing field for that time. This idea is proven to be ahead of their time. Even though during the 1920’s women were able to break from their Republican mother restrictions, they were still an oppressed population within the society but the arts were able to lift some of those restrictions. Either way, the arts during the Great Depression gave many women and struggling artists a purpose to reinvent themselves and to showcase their