"The Pinch of Poverty"

What are some major contributing factors to poverty?
Some people are born into it, low pay, competitive economy, lack of jobs, employer bias...

How does this artist portray poverty?
The portrayal is negative, as you can see from the neutral colors that make most of the picture look black and white but for the main subjects of the picture, which uses brighter colors. This might initially make people think it's being portrayed positively, but it you look at their faces, they all look sad and worn out. The color in their faces and clothing almost make the sadness more poignant in comparison to the rest of the picture.

What is the artist's message about poverty?
It is hard to pull yourself out of poverty, but children have more hope to get out of it. The artist also tries to get across how it is not the children's fault because their poverty was inherited.

Identify and explain 2 elements of art that enhance the message.
The contrast of the color of the flowers with the rest of the picture show more hope for the kids, especially the little girl. The placement of the family also shows this, as the girl is separated from the rest of the family, while the other children are sitting with the mother, leaning against her (could also represent them leaning into poverty) and they are looking off to the side, while the girl is stepping forward with the flowers she is trying to to sell.