Through November 12 Popular Prints from India

Images of Hindu gods and goddesses were extremely popular in India in the 20th century. Previously limited to temples or palaces, changes in printing technology made colorful prints easily affordable, and they permeated daily life, from stores and offices to homes and schools. Presenting selections from a recent gift of 165 prints from John C. and Susan L. Huntington, this exhibition explores diverse figures and stories drawn from Hinduism through the vibrant visual styles that brought them to life.

Lewis Wickes Hine (1874–1940), born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was a world-famous photographer. He lived and worked in New York City, where he studied education and social work and committed himself to social justice issues. To photograph children working in dangerous settings, Hine made up stories to gain access to factories, canneries and textile mills. He recorded whatever information he could gather about his subjects so he could present their situations in a direct, informative and persuasive way to help compel viewers to make positive change. These photographs were integral in passing the first child labor laws in the United States in 1916, and were also key to establishing the practice of social documentary photography. Besides the National Child Labor Committee, Hine would photograph for the American Red Cross, Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union and Western Electric, among others. Despite winning awards and garnering praise from critics, Hine was never a financial success and struggled to find monetary compensation to match his notoriety. In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Project hired Hine to document the social welfare efforts they directed in the Tennessee River Valley. There in rural Appalachia, he captured the farming communities that would be displaced by the construction of Norris Dam—the first of 32 dams erected by the TVA. After about one month, Hine left the job because his photography was criticized for being “too creative.” 25 of Hine’s Tennessee photographs are on view in Here & Gone in Gallery 118 through October 22.

Through October 22