My Father Reminisces

Accession Number
1943.2

Title
My Father Reminisces

Artist(s)
Ida Abelman

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1937

Medium & Support
lithograph on paper

Dimensions
14 9/16 in x 18 7/16 in (36.99 cm x 46.83 cm)

Credit Line
Allocated by the U.S. Government Commissioned through the New Deal art projects

Subject matter
Ida Abelman was an artist employed by the WPA. This print tells a story from left to right of immigrants to New York and the title implies that it comes from the memories of her father. Starting on the left, immigrants arrive in New York City by boat only to be exploited by the garment factories. The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union is formed, there is a successful strike, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire burns, and the Statue of Liberty only has a faint presence in the scene. The sewing machine in the foreground of the print closes in on the piece workers who were struggling to make a living. 

Physical Description
Around and behind a central image of a sewing machine are overlapping images of people, ships, a building fire, the Statue of Liberty, and small blocks of text.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Figures
New Deal
Political and social issues
Text-based Art
WPA
cityscapes (representations)
groups
immigrants
laborers
machine
modern and contemporary art
political art
sewing machines (equipment)
statue
strikes (events)
trade unions

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