Signs on U.S. 41, Kenosha County, Wisconsin (Cheese)
Shot in 1941, this declarative dairy delight was part of Vachon’s extensive photographic exploration of the great midwest during his time with the Farm Security Administration. We’ve been geeking out for years on work that came out of the FSA—see Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, and Walker Evans, just to name a new).Â
With American highway culture still in its early days, farmers were among the first to utilize roadside advertising in a variety of ways. Vachon captured the essence of agricultural life in the midwest through thousands of images—his portrayal of road signs in particular was a precursor to the renowned work of legendary roadtripping photographer John Margolies.
