Weekend Economists Stamp Out Ignorance December 27-29, 2013

[jtuck004]

50. Didja know? Post Office Murals

As one of the projects in the New Deal during the Great Depression, the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) was developed to bring artist workers back into the job market and assure the American public that better financial times were on the way. (Marling 1982)

In 1933, nearly $145 million in public funds was appropriated for the construction of federal buildings, such as courthouses, schools, libraries, post offices and other public structures, nationwide. Under the direction of the PWAP, the agency oversaw the production of 15,660 works of art by 3,750 artists, these also included 700 murals that were placed on nationwide display. With the ending of the PWAP in the summer of 1934, it was decided that the success of the program should be extended by founding the Section of Painting and Sculpture (which was renamed the Section of Fine Arts in 1938-43) under the U.S. Treasury Department. (Marling 1982)

The Section focused its goal on reaching as many of American citizens as possible. Since the local post office seemed to be the most frequented government building by the public, the Section requested that the murals, approximately 12’ by 5’ oil paintings on canvas, be placed on the walls of the newly constructed post offices in the 48 states, exclusively. It was recommended that 1% of the money budgeted for each post office be set aside for the creation of the murals. (Park 1984)
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The selection of out-of-state artists brought other issues into question, such as stereotypes of rural people being portrayed merely as hicks and hayseeds and not having the murals express their cultural values and work ethics. Many residents of small towns, most notably in the Southern states, resented the portrayal of rural lifestyles by artists who had never visited the areas where their artwork would be displayed. (Marling 1982)

From Wiki, here.

http://livingnewdeal.berkeley.edu/new-deal-agencies/treasury-section-of-fine-arts/

We need more - not just bridge and road building, but expressions of being human. And I would rather pay for this than send money to a thieving banker...