This episode explores the works and social context of documentary photographs taken by Walker Evans during his time in the Farm Security Administration (1935-1937). The main focus will be Evans’ ⁠Penny Picture Display, Savannah, 1936⁠, which came towards the end of Evans’ time with the Farm Security Administration. We will further discuss how Penny Picture Display compares to another of Evans’ works from 1929 New York called Lunchroom Window, as well as its individual context. We focus on the greater political and historical underpinnings of these works, their contributions to the Farm Security Administration Photo Project, and their significance as cultural documents. We examine the concepts of true versus false in the context of photography and documentary photography.

Click here for a transcription and bibliography as well as images of the work’s discussed in today’s episode.

This podcast is part of the Crop and Click series featuring student research on documentary photography from our collection. ⁠Click here for a portfolio of all the works discussed in the series.

Hosted and produced by Anna Davis & Connor Gerraughty. Cover art by Lucy Sherman ’23.