Museum exhibit highlights living off the land in Depression-era Utah

"Mountain Dryland Farming" by Russell Lee

BRIGHAM CITY — In their current exhibit, “Fields of Labor and Recovery: A photographic portrait of Utah from the Great Depression to WWII, 1936-1942,” the Brigham City Museum of Art and History highlights images of Utah from a bygone era.

Tasked with capturing the landscape and people of Utah for a national audience, the photographers did not always focus on individual identifications.  Many of the images, such as the one above by Russell Lee,  “Mountains dryland farm. Cache County, Utah,”  and “Mormon farmer Box Elder County, Utah,” provide tantalizing but non-specific clues about the local subjects.

This exhibit, curated by Dr. James Swenson, Associate Professor of Art History at Brigham Young University, is part of a larger project that will include the upcoming publication of a book on the photographers and their work throughout the state.

According to a press release, the Museum is looking for local insight to help Dr. Swenson add more context to the understanding of these photos.

They are asking anyone, who may have knowledge to help identify these anonymous subjects, to please come and see the images on display through January 28th, or to contact the museum at 435-226-1439 or email [email protected] for a list of image files to review.

The Brigham City Museum of Art & History is located at 24 North 300 West. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.

Visit brighamcitymuseum.org for more information.

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