The Hitchhiker 1937 - 1943

Editor: This intriguing print, "The Hitchhiker," was created between 1937 and 1943 by Robert Gwathmey. There’s a slightly unsettling juxtaposition of figures and styles; it feels very deliberate. What social commentary might Gwathmey be offering here? Curator: This piece reflects Gwathmey's engagement with social realism, which flourished during the Depression era. The imagery isn't accidental. Notice the contrast in depictions: brightly colored billboard-like faces versus the more subdued rendering of the Black man hitchhiking and the seated worker. Editor: Yes, that contrast is stark! Almost a collision of realities, where advertising’s vibrant promise clashes with everyday working life. It definitely invites speculation about class and race… Curator: Precisely. How does the positioning of the figures in relation to the billboards, to each other, and to the implied viewer impact our understanding of power dynamics within society? The billboards become almost like a mask for certain populations and desires. Editor: That’s a compelling observation. The hitchhiker reaching out and the seated figure are positioned quite differently in this "scene," and feel disconnected from the visual language of the commercial images that are seemingly directed toward them. Curator: Gwathmey isn’t just representing social conditions; he’s actively shaping a visual language that questions who benefits from economic and social structures, and which narratives are amplified through visual culture. It's a reminder that the ‘American Dream’ was and perhaps still is unevenly distributed. Editor: That’s given me a new way to see this artwork. Thank you! Curator: A lot to unpack here. Food for thought on whose stories we see displayed in the cultural landscape, even now.