American Gothic, Washington, D.C.

Label Text

Parks is one of the most influential figures in 20th-century American Art. A self-taught photographer born in Kansas, Parks became an apprentice to Roy Stryker in the early 1940s and joined his group of Farm Securities Administration photographers alongside Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, and others. During this time, Parks created American Gothic, Washington D.C., 1942, which would become his signature image. The title is inspired by Grant Wood's American Gothic. The woman in the photo, Ella Watson, worked in the government building in whcih the FSA was headquartered. During WWII, Parks worked as an official war photographer, and then moved on to a long stint at LIFE magazine, becoming a sought-after fashion and portait artist. He also continued making images of civil right figures and protests.

Source: DMAC NEWS Sep Oct Nov Dec 2021

DimensionsFrame: 23 1/2 × 19 1/2 × 1 3/4 in. (59.7 × 49.5 × 4.4 cm)
Sheet: 14 × 11 in. (35.6 × 27.9 cm)
Image: 12 3/4 × 8 7/8 in. (32.4 × 22.5 cm)

Accession Number 2021.9

Classificationsphotograph

InscriptionsGPF authentication stamped

Collections

Photography Highlights

Images (1)

Audio (1)

DSM Speaks Audio Tour with Tisha Carter Smith, Community Member

Audio Transcript

DSM Speaks Audio Tour with Tisha Carter Smith, Community Member

Run Time: 1.26 minutes

Recorded by Tisha Carter Smith, CultureALL Community Ambassador /

In sharp focus is an African American woman in a polka dot dress. While clearly a woman, her weathered appearance lends her an androgynous quality. She’s thin, wearing glasses, no make-up, and her graying hair is neatly combed. A large American flag dominates the background, while a broom and mop define her job.

In 1942 America, domestic service was one of the few permissible jobs for Black women. This photograph, titled American Gothic, is an intentional nod to Grant Wood’s iconic painting of White Iowans with a pitchfork. Gordon Parks, known for capturing the Black American experience, created this piece as an “and, but” to Wood’s work, portraying African Americans’ equality of toil, but not for themselves.

One critique of Wood’s painting was that it felt “out of step” with its era. Parks, however, captured a life in America “out of step” with what it should be.

I chose this piece because I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Parks speak when I was a wet-behind-the-ears 20-year-old. He shared stories of coming of age in Minneapolis, his art, and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. He lived through tremendous change in America. So, shall we.

DES MOINES SPEAKS

DSM Speaks are short audio reflections on artwork in our permanent collection, written and voiced by diverse members of our community. Contributors to this program were selected in partnership with CultureALL and the Des Moines Art Center. We hope by elevating these diverse ways of seeing we can encourage all visitors to connect more deeply and to see themselves and their identities within our walls.