Accession Number1943.2
TitleMy Father Reminisces
Artist(s)Ida AbelmanArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Date1937Medium & Supportlithograph on paperDimensions 14 9/16 in x 18 7/16 in (36.99 cm x 46.83 cm)
Credit LineAllocated by the U.S. Government
Commissioned through the New Deal art projectsSubject matterIda 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 DescriptionAround 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 ClassificationPrintCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf 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