Another Suggestion for Sculpture for the Social Security Building 1940

Curator: Okay, let's dive into this darkly humorous pen drawing, "Another Suggestion for Sculpture for the Social Security Building" by Clifford Kennedy Berryman, from 1940. It looks like social commentary served with a wink. Editor: Absolutely! It’s…unsettling. I'm drawn to the sharp lines and the almost grotesque caricature of what seems to be FDR. It definitely feels like it has a biting message. What do you read into the symbolism here? Curator: Well, consider the era. This is right after the New Deal, a time of great social change and debate. Berryman depicts FDR as a kind of overlord. In one hand, he’s holding a “Taxpayer” who is literally being drained, while in the other he’s holding a stack of VOTES. Two children are literally clinging to him. What’s that telling you about dependency? Editor: Hmm, almost like a political leeching? It’s pretty direct in its criticism of the New Deal relying on taxpayer money, perhaps insinuating a bought electorate. The composition is incredibly bold! Curator: Precisely. Berryman uses exaggeration to highlight anxieties around government overreach, but it’s delivered with such artistic flair. The drawing style, almost like a detailed sketch, reinforces that immediacy and sense of urgency, wouldn't you say? Editor: It does. Initially, I just saw a caricature, but now, digging deeper, it unveils layers of social unease masked in satire. Political art, huh? It definitely gets the point across! Curator: Yes, and that's the magic. Berryman wasn't just drawing; he was making a statement about power, responsibility, and the fine line between social support and perceived social manipulation. It's both humorous and, at the same time, it pricks our consciences.