Portrait as Community: Credit Card Mother

Monday, October 1, 2012

Credit Card Mother

Dorothea Lange, "Migrant Mother", 1936

Paying a credit card bill today I couldn't help but notice the similarities and differences in these two pictures.

Citibank is obviously trying to portray debt (specifically credit card debt) as a positive. I'm not certain what type of debt Florence Owens Thompson may have owed at the time Dorothea Lange shot her portrait, but I would guess she wouldn't be in agreement with any bank.

The caption for Lange's image reads: "Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California."

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The mission, as a class and community, is to foster an inspiring and motivational environment that promotes creativity, ingenuity, critical thought, the development of research skills, and collaboration. The community will strive to recognize the validity of each individual’s motivation/vision and artistic practice, and is committed to ongoing discussions regarding the artist’s role, relationship, and engagement with their subject(s).

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