Conceivably one of the most copied, iconic depression era images, as well as one of the single most popular stock photo images in the Corbis “Bettman collection” (Parente 2003), “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” neither brought fame nor fortune to the photographer that captured that moment in time that still brings an uneasy sense of acrophobic fear to it’s viewers. Charles Clyde Ebbets, born August 18th, 1905 in Alabama, never knew the popularity that this emblematic representation of the daredevil American steel worker, in the midst of the skyscraper-building boom of depression era New York, would eventually attain. “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” as it has now become known, was originally created in 1932 as part of the “Rockefeller Center” building documentation that Ebbets was hired to conduct. Ebbets who seasonally traveled the east coast working on photographic assignments during the early 1930’s had gained a reputation among editors, as somewhat of a daredevil photographer, as well as someone that had the ability to get pictures that no one else was able to (Stinnett 2010). He was aptly retained by Hamilton Wright Features Syndicate as the photographic editor in charge of documenting the construction of the Rockefeller Center construction site, both for archival and publicity purposes. The original image was first published in the New York Herald Tribune in 1932, followed by an article the next day documenting the daredevil photographer’s exploits in capturing the image; devoid the use of any safety devices at over 800 feet above the streets of New York. Countless Ebbets images have been published world wide, but as was often the case, once the image had been used they were seldom seen again and forgotten. Such was the case with “... ... middle of paper ... .../floridaquest/quest2006/treasuretrove4.htm Stinnett, Chuck (2010). Images of daredevil workers are still gripping 80 years later. Courier Press.com. Retrieved from http://waatp.com/gate/index.html?to=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.courierpress.com%252Fnews%252F2010%252Fjun%252F01%252Fskyscraper%252F%253Fprint%253D1&people_id=13751647 Oxfam Media Unit (2010) Pregnant women reconstruct Charles Ebbets’ image to highlight danger of childbirth in developing world. Retrieved from http://www.oxfam.org.uk/applications/blogs/pressoffice/2010/09/20/pregnant-women-reconstruct-charles-ebbets%E2%80%99-image-to-highlight-dangers-of-childbirth-in-the-developing-world/ Usborne, David (2007) Iconic ‘Skyscraper Lunch’ sculpture is one man down. The Independent Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/iconic-skyscraper-lunch-sculpture-is-one-man-down-432843.html
As external onlookers, we are influenced by contextual knowledge of what this “perfectly normal baby” achieves when he grows up. Through confessional dialogue, we discover the father’s disappointment of his small and weak child as he questions “why can’t they be better specimens” contrasted to the mother’s desperation for her “strong and healthy” child to live. As we progress though this 1st person reflective narrative, we are pulled into the conundrum of what we believe the baby’s fate should be; on one side he is a child – an innocent baby and on the other side he is a dictator deciding life and death of millions of people.
In 1931--the middle of The Great Depression, the painting titled View of New York was executed by an American painter and photographer named Charles Sheeler Jr. in New York. The painting presents the artist’s studio structure and only the cloudy sky of the most modernized city in the world. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston currently reserves
After reading the book which mentions the maternal and neonatal situation in Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world, is pitiable. (1) Child birth takes place under lantern light, in Mud bricks with profuse sweating without electricity, no running water, no emergency backup. With only the grace of God and the skill of a midwife that child birth takes place in remote villages in the country of Mali, West Africa, having the third highest total fertility
... the United States, the simple and hard work of the midwife Monique sharply contrasts Holloway’s perspective. With the death of Bintou during childbirth, Holloway realizes the reality of the situations Monique and other midwives faced everyday (88). When complications emerge, midwives lack the equipment to help save the mother and child. In the United States, children are normally born in a hospital or within a drive away from a health center.
Women throughout time have been compelled to cope with the remonstrances of motherhood along with society’s anticipations
Phillips, Cabell. The New York Times Chronicle of American Life: From the Crash to the Blitz 1929-1939. New York: Mac Millan, 1969.
... portrayed real events and real people who were beautiful in their own way. "These pictures impress one as real life of a vast section of the American people," commented one viewer of FSA photos exhibited in an April 1938 show called "How American People Live." This statement summarized the feelings of most Americans who viewed the photos. Because of their success, these photographs have become the visual representation of the Great Depression.
Wukovits, John F., ed. America's Decades: The 1920's. San Diego: Greehaven Press Inc., 2000. Print.
... after nine at night, but in those days [we] ... did not think of our day in terms of hours. We liked our work, we were proud to do it well, and I am afraid that we were very, very happy.” The 1930s were a time of struggle and sadness. However, American citizens continued to work and search for the happiness they once knew. Although the Great Depression stretched through the 1930s, putting a damper on the economy and liveliness of the nation, the decade cannot be solely defined by it. Art and photos illustrate the decade’s sentiments, while acts of society and architecture reveal much more regarding a common citizen's lifestyle. A tragic photo, a vast-spread psychological struggle, and a famous building, are all examples of artifacts taken from the 1930s that have changed, they way we perceive our country, the American way of living, and America’s skyline forever.
"FSA Photographers Document the Great Depression." FSA Photographers Document the Great Depression. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
Birth is a normal, physiological process, in which a woman’s body naturally prepares to expel the fetus within. It has occurred since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, childbirth has gradually evolved into what it is today - a highly managed whirlwind of unwarranted interventions. Jennifer Block, a journalist with over twelve years experience, has devoted herself to raising awareness regarding the authenticity of the Americanized standard of care in obstetrics, while guiding others to discover the truth behind the medical approach to birth in this country. In her book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, Jennifer Block brings forth startling truths concerning this country’s management of birth.
Modern Times was unlike most movies produced during the Great Depression era because it is featuring a view on the unemployment and rough conditions that people f...
The artistic stylization used by early 20th century artists endeavors a distinctive approach in the depiction of the Great Depression in both methodology and aesthetic portrayal. Philip Evergood’s Dance Marathon (c. 1931) and Reginald Marsh’s Chatham Square (c. 1931), which both are exhibited at the Blanton Museum of Art, are artistic representations of the American culture during the “Dirty Thirties”. Although both paintings were created during the same time period and ultimately share the thematic downheartedness of the decade, Evergood and Marsh cultivate their own independent approach in constructing their individual artworks. Marsh focuses his piece on the basis of composition, detail, saturations and highlights to construe a melancholic
Schraff, Anne E. Daredevil American Heroes of Exploration and Flight. Berkeley Heights: Enslow, 2014. Print.
The Millennium Development Goal Report 2013 states that the progress towards achieving the target of reducing maternal mortality by two thirds between 1990 and 2015 significantly falls short of the set goal and the indices are still poor in the developing countries especially sub-Saharan Africa (United Nations, 2013). The People’s Health Movement (PHM), through its WHO Watch clearly identifies the huge omission of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in the WHO’s revised strategy on traditional medicine (PHM WHO Watch, 2013). The magnitude of this omission appears to be puzzling owing to the fact that in just about three decades ago the WHO aimed to reduce death of women associated with child bearing through the training of TBAs and promoted their integration into the orthodox health care system. The WHO calls for a collaborative effort in achieving the goal of reducing maternal deaths. Yet, one can insinuate that the TBAs are no longer seen as a resource to be harnessed by public health professionals in addressing the issues associated with childbearing (Langwick, 2011). The ‘friend or foe’ mentality can clearly be observed in a statement made by one of Nigeria’s chief leaders in the fight towards reducing maternal mortality published in Nigeria’s foremost editorial daily newspaper magazine, the Punch. He said that ‘it was no longer acceptable for women to give birth in TBA centres, TBAs were no longer required in labour and delivery because of the availability of enough trained or skilled personnel, and he promised to jail any TBA involved in a maternal death’ (Punch, 2013). As such, it is important for us to critically analyse and evaluate the relevance of TBAs in promoting health from a contemporary global health perspective. I...