Dorothea Lange at the Oakland Museum

Dorothea Lange photographs at the Oakland Museum of California

Dorothea Lange: Politics of Seeing is a small exhibition of 130 photographs presented on the 50th anniversary of the gift of her photographic archive to the Oakland Museum of California. She is a gifted photographer, and I found the exhibit inspiring from both artistic and historical perspectives. The exhibition runs only until August 27, so you'll have to come this week.

The photograph above suggests what you can expect — a not-very-crowded exhibit (!) combining a number of framed photographs from her personal collection as well as some large, unframed blow-ups that display her work to dramatic effect. To quote the museum's promotional materials:

Through the lens of her camera, Dorothea Lange documented American life with riveting, intimate photographs that portrayed some of the most powerful moments of the 20th century. Lange was driven by the belief that seeing the effects of injustice could provoke reform and, just perhaps, change the world. From documenting the plight of Dust Bowl migrants during the Great Depression to illuminating the grim conditions of incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II, Lange’s photographs demonstrate how empathy and compassion—focused through art—can sway minds and prompt change throughout this nation’s history.

If you're staying in San Francisco, just take BART to the 12th Street Oakland Station. From there, it's a 0.6 mile walk to the museum, located at 1000 Oak Street. The weather has turned beautiful this week! My two most highly recommended hotels in San Francisco close to BART are the Four Seasons and the St. Regis.

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