Children of Oklahoma drought refugee in migratory camp in California 1936

Curator: The weight of worry seems palpable in Dorothea Lange’s photo, "Children of Oklahoma drought refugee in migratory camp in California." Editor: It’s the texture that strikes me first—the visible grain of the film mirroring the harshness of their lives. Curator: Lange's work often carries that symbolic weight. The children’s clasped hands supporting their faces evoke a universal posture of weariness. Their expressions, though individual, reflect shared hardship. Editor: And the materials…photographic paper, silver gelatin. It's a stark, unvarnished presentation, matching the reality faced by these displaced families. It reminds us of labor, both physical and emotional. Curator: There’s a continuity here, isn’t there? The cultural memory of displacement, migration, and human resilience. Editor: Absolutely. This image, made with light, paper, and silver, speaks volumes about social structures and the labor behind survival. Curator: Lange gives us a glimpse into both the symbols and lived experiences of that era. Editor: It is a potent reminder of the materials of suffering and the means through which we document it.