Cracks & Reforms: The 1920s Through the GW Collection

The 1920s emerged as a decade suspended between collapse and reconstruction, an era marked by “cracks and reforms” that ushered in a profound reconfiguration of the visual world. During this period marked by civil transformation and political upheaval, artists, journalists, and makers had opportunities to reconstruct both individual and collective identities. A century later, Cracks & Reforms presents a distinct cross-section of this period, revealing global currents of migration, modernization, and cultural redefinition through the lens of the GW Collection. Students led by Associate Professo