Art as Activism
The Compelling Paintings of Ben Shahn
Lauren White
Senior Division
Individual Documentary
As often happens when researching, the deeper you delve into a topic, the more questions
you have. This was certainly the case when, while gathering information for a project about
nuclear proliferation, I stumbled upon a magazine article illustrated by Ben Shahn. I was
intrigued by how his drawings drew me into the story and compelled me to read it. I found that I
had to learn more about this artist whose obvious passion for the subjects of his artwork evoked
such a deep reaction in me. I knew then that Ben Shahn would be the topic of this year’s History
Day project fitting the theme “The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.”
Ben Shahn was a leading influence in the American Social Realism movement during the
early 20th century. In a time when conventional art was primarily appreciated for its aesthetic
qualities, his artwork passionately portrays the human strife and social injustice that defined
humanity during his lifetime. His life’s work provides a virtual roadmap of the inequities and
periods of discord prevalent in society spanning the Depression years through the turbulent
1960s. Shahn believed that art should appeal to more than the aesthetic senses—that it could and
should be used as a vehicle for change.
My journey into the life of Ben Shahn began with a detailed biographical book written by
Howard Greenfeld, a close friend of Shahn’s and progressed through perusing several books,
articles, and interview transcripts by Shahn himself, detailing his deep commitment to his belief
that artists should tell a compelling story through their work. I obtained amazing primary source
information and images from the Ben Shahn Papers at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American
Art, including oral history interviews taped shortly before Shahn’s death, videotaped television
interviews, and Shahn’s own written correspondence. Other indispensable sources pertaining to
Shahn and the historical events that were the subjects of his paintings were found through the
National Archives, the Library of Congress, and various television and magazine archives.
The striking nature of Shahn’s artwork in combination with the available film footage of
historical events his art chronicled made this project well suited for documentary format. I used
Final Cut Pro editing software to create the final product, combining still and moving images
with the recorded narration and taking particular care in identifying appropriate music to convey
the emotional quality of Shahn’s art.
The artwork of Ben Shahn is an ideal topic for the theme, “The Individual in History.”
Shahn went beyond the conventional art world and proved that an artist can be engaged in
important moral issues and express profound social messages while remaining true to his artistic
creativity. He leaves to this world a legacy of artwork that helps us better understand the human
conditions during the greater part of the 20th century—a legacy that instills in us a compassion
for those who suffered during these times, and an admiration for those who dare to take a stand
against injustice and push for social reform.
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