Unemployed c. 1938

Chet Harmon La More made this print called Unemployed, and it’s got me thinking about the act of standing, waiting, and hoping. The men stand shoulder to shoulder; they look like they’re in it together. La More uses these almost anxious marks to depict their bodies, these marks describe the weight of their shirts, the shape of their caps, and the downturned angle of their heads. The heads remind me of Modigliani, or maybe even Marsden Hartley. Look at the pink head in the middle, see how that single colour flattens the form, while the heads on either side are formed from a broken patchwork of colours, making them feel more human, more individualized. Did La More do that on purpose, I wonder? He probably did, these artists were always thinking. The whole thing feels very deliberate. Like he was working through something, trying to get it just right. He probably kept working until it said what he wanted it to say. You know, that’s what we all do; we learn from each other. It’s one big conversation, and these paintings become our words.