“Applicants waiting for jobs in front of FERA offices,” crafted by Ben Shahn in 1935, belongs to the Social Realism art movement and is categorized within the genre of photography. The artwork captures a poignant moment during the Great Depression, depicting a group of men standing in front of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) offices, waiting in the hopes of obtaining employment.
The composition presents an evocative scene where men of varying ages are gathered, marked by their somber expressions and varied postures, signifying the weight of economic despair. The backdrop, filled with period-specific signage and automobiles, anchors the photograph in its historical context. The street they occupy stretches into the distance, dotted with various signs, one notably advertising “Felt Hats Cleaned and Blocked 30¢.” The overall grayscale tonality enhances the mood of hardship and the daily struggle for survival.
