Ella Watson Sweeping, Washington, D.C., 1942 (printed 2023)
Gordon Parksexpand_more
Gelatin silver printexpand_more
The Dolly J. Fiterman Fundexpand_more 2024.59.1
Not on Viewexpand_more
In the summer of 1942, during a yearlong fellowship in Washington, D.C., Gordon Parks photographed government worker Ella Watson across the varied landscape of her daily life. The resulting picture story presents Watson—a custodian, the head of a household, a deaconess at her church—as a vital figure within the civic sphere, cherished by her community. At the same time, this intimate series reveals Parks’s experiences in coming to terms with the segregated city he once embraced as “the seat of democracy.” The nearly ninety photographs that resulted from their partnership includes one of the most celebrated photographs of the 20th century—an iconic portrait of Watson that Parks later titled “American Gothic.” Most importantly, this revelatory series proposes new grounds for understanding Parks as an artist and activist, highlighting a unique professional collaboration between two Black federal employees at a crucial juncture in United States history.
Details
- Title
- Ella Watson Sweeping, Washington, D.C.
- Artist Life
- Gordon Parks, Photographer, 1912 – 2006
- Role
- Photographer
- Accession Number
- 2024.59.1
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
800px
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.
No Image Available