Join us Thursday, August 13 to celebrate the opening of Arkansas Portraits: Black and White Photographs from the Farm Security Administration Collection, 1935-1938. This exhibition features 24 black and white photographs taken in Arkansas during the height of the Great Depression. These photographs, many of which were selected from Patsy G. Watkins’ book It’s All Done Gone, Arkansas Photographs from the Farm Security Administration Collection, 1935-1943 are reprinted from the Farm Security Administration Office of War Information Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress. 

This curation features work by celebrated photographers Ben Shahn, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, Carl Mydans, Russell Lee, and Arthur Rothstein. The majority of photographs in the exhibition were taken in the Arkansas Ozarks, with the remainder taken in counties across Arkansas. These images have been printed and framed expressly for this exhibition and have never been hung in this particular curation for the public to experience.

“I realized this exhibition concept would be a great fit for our gallery after discovering Watkins’ wonderful book,” said Lawrence McElroy, Director of Arts and Culture at Historic Cane Hill. “The opportunity to showcase an exhibition that combines components of rural Arkansas history with fine art furthers our organization’s mission. Watkins’ thorough research made the development of the exhibition an easy and enjoyable task.”

The exhibition space in the Historic Cane Hill gallery will include educational panels that provide information about the FSA and the project’s history. Additional panels will include biographies of the featured photographers. A display of cameras representing the same make and models used by the photographers will also be included.  

Arkansas Portraits will be open to the public during gallery hours, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, or by appointment, from Thursday, August 13 through October 17, 2026.

The reception is free to attend and open to all.