Missouri family of five, seven months from the drought area, near Tracy, California 1937

Curator: Dorothea Lange's "Missouri family of five, seven months from the drought area, near Tracy, California," presents a stark image of hardship and resilience. Editor: The composition is immediately striking. The sheer amount of stuff strapped to that old car, it speaks volumes about the family’s circumstances, and the long road behind them. Curator: Indeed. Lange’s work during the Great Depression documented the impact of economic crisis and environmental disaster on ordinary people, revealing the material consequences of displacement and the unequal distribution of resources. Editor: Note how the car is angled; with the family on the side, it creates a pyramidal shape, drawing your eye from the child up to the fully loaded vehicle, really emphasizing their journey and the weight of their possessions. Curator: Lange’s use of photography as a tool for social commentary highlights the labor involved in survival. This image serves as a reminder of the human cost behind broader economic narratives. Editor: Absolutely. There’s an undeniable sense of vulnerability captured here. The way the light falls, the figures arranged - there is an intentional beauty here, if I can call it that. It’s quite moving.