John Vachon
1914–1975 · United States
Ordinary streets as a portrait of a country.
Explorer l’œuvre ↓
John Vachon · 2014-02-20 21:46:20
John Vachon · The Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration / Office of War Information.
Public domain — fonds FSA/OWI · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
The story
John Vachon joined the FSA as a clerk before becoming a photographer. His assignments took him, among other places, to the Great Plains states. Façades, shop windows, streets and working scenes form an observation of everyday habits. He later joined the Photo League and worked for many years for Look, continuing his attention to the relationships between individuals and their social surroundings.
Understanding the work
Follow signs, alignments and the spaces between passers-by. Information is often distributed throughout the frame rather than concentrated in a spectacular event.
Key works and series
Main Street, Wheaton; Great Plains scenes; John Vachon’s America.
Sources & further exploration
A journey through images.
1 workClick an image to enlarge it. Captions, collections and reuse conditions appear below each work. Captions describe the photographs; the source records retain catalogue titles and provide context.
John Vachon · 2014-02-20 21:46:20
John Vachon · The Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration / Office of War Information.
Public domain — fonds FSA/OWI · Reuse conditions · Artwork record
Works in collections.
23 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
- MoMA · October 1938
The Flag is Going By, Sesquicentennial Parade, Cincinnati, Ohio
Gelatin silver print
- Library of Congress · 1943-06
Ouvriers des découpeuses d’acier, chantiers Higgins, La Nouvelle-Orléans
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1943-05
Livreurs de journaux à bicyclette, Galveston, Texas
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942-02
Champ et maison abandonnée, comté de Dewey, Dakota du Sud
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1942-08
Maisons du quartier polonais de Detroit
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · May 1943
Chargement de soufre, Hoskins Mound, Texas
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · June 1943 Medium: 1 negative : safety
Pause déjeuner des ouvriers des chantiers Higgins
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 1940-04
File d’attente devant une mission d’aide, Dubuque, Iowa
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
- Library of Congress · 2014-02-20 21:46:20
Southland paper mill, Lufkin, Texas
Photograph — FSA/OWI collection
