UC Berkeley Reva and David Logan Professor of Photojournalism Ken Light and Graduate School of Journalism alum Jason Jaacks ('14) will exhibit work in the upcoming world-renowned retrospective exhibition Dorothea Lange: Politics of Seeing at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA).
The exhibition will present a unique compilation of works by celebrated documentary photographer Dorothea Lange. On view in OMCA’s Great Hall, the exhibition will examine the life and work of Lange, including intimate photographs that illuminate the major social issues of the 20th century. From documenting the plight of the Dust Bowl migrants during the Great Depression to magnifying the incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II, Lange’s photographs illustrate the power of photography as a form of social activism. The exhibition includes over 100 photographs, both well recognized and rarely seen, that reveal and re-establish the artist as a significant pioneer in photography as historical documentary and social activism.
Through 130 photographs by Lange, including vintage prints and unedited proof sheets, as well as personal memorabilia, and historic objects, the exhibition examines how the beloved American photographer’s artistry and advocacy swayed minds and prompted significant change. Organized into seven sections, Politics of Seeing will highlight Lange’s works focused on the Great Depression, the Japanese Internment, World War II, and Postwar California, as well as a section on her early life, an interactive space, and a media room featuring film clips.
To prompt critical thinking around Lange's work, photographs exhibited by contemporary photographers Ken Light, Jason Jaacks, and Janet Delaney will demonstrate the continuing inspiration of Lange’s vision, directly connecting to her legacy and current social and political issues such as homelessness, income inequality, racism, xenophobia, and immigration.
Dorothea Lange: Politics of Seeing will be on view at the Oakland Museum of California May 13, 2017-August 13, 2017.
To read more about the exhibition, visit the OMCA website. To learn more about the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, please visit their website.