Nearly 50 WPA-era prints reveal the people, politics, labor and everyday life of 1930s and 1940s America
EASTON, MD — August 18, 2026 — The Academy Art Museum (AAM) will present “Art for the People: WPA-Era Prints from the Ponemone-Frommeyer Collection,” on view Sept. 8, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027. Drawn entirely from the Baltimore collection of Scott Ponemone and his late husband, Michael Frommeyer, the exhibition brings together nearly 50 prints that chart the people, politics and everyday labor of American life from the Great Depression into the early years of World War II.
The prints capture a nation remade by hard times. In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, U.S. unemployment climbed to nearly 25% by 1933. As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Works Progress Administration ultimately employed more than 8.5 million Americans, while its Federal Art Project gave artists steady work and brought original art within reach of the public. Several works in the exhibition were made for the Federal Art Project; others were created by artists working during the era.
“These prints were created during a period of tremendous hardship and change, but at their heart, they are about people — how they worked, gathered, struggled and found moments of joy through the creative process,” said Brian J. Lang, Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Academy Art Museum. “Nearly a century later, they offer more than a record of the past. They invite us to consider what art can reveal about a society in transition and the role artists play in helping us understand our own moment.”
Together, the prints explore war and politics, urban life, labor and industry, leisure, and community and family. Rendered in lithography, woodblock, linoleum block, etching, aquatint, drypoint and wood engraving, they include works by Albert Abramovitz, Joseph Leboit, Glenn O. Coleman, John Steuart Curry and others — an intimate view of the people and experiences that shaped America in the 1930s and 1940s. Among them is Abramovitz’s “Smelting Plant” (1937), a wood engraving created for the Federal Art Project (pictured left).
Beyond illuminating a consequential chapter in American art and history, “Art for the People” celebrates the collectors who preserve that history for future generations. Ponemone began collecting prints in his 20s and developed a lasting interest in Depression-era work after seeing an exhibition of prints from the period at what is now the Smithsonian American Art Museum. His collection grew alongside Frommeyer, who supported the collection and occasionally helped select works.
The exhibition will be presented alongside a series of public and member programs that invite visitors to engage more deeply with the works and printmaking traditions on view.
Whimsical Woodcuts: An Introduction to Woodcut Printmaking
Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Visiting Artist Pamela Lawton will lead this one-day workshop exploring the history and techniques of woodblock printing. Open to beginners, the workshop will guide participants through carving, inking and hand-printing their own woodblocks. Registration required.
Pop-Up Art Lab
Select Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.
Drop into the Academy and get creative with Pop-Up Art Lab, a free, all-ages program inspired by the works on view. Families and visitors of all ages are invited to create original artwork inspired by the Museum’s current exhibitions. No registration is required, and all materials are provided.
Members Reception
Friday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Academy Art Museum members are invited to a special reception celebrating the exhibition.
Drypoint Etching with Three Techniques
Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Explore drypoint etching with artist Rosemary Cooley in this hands-on, weekend workshop featuring hand coloring, monoprinting and chine collé techniques. Registration required.
For more information, visit academyartmuseum.org.
