PERUSE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MODERNISTS
Barbecue, Archibald Motley, Jr. 1934
I found the section in our ARTFORMS text book on African American Modernists wonderfully complimentary to both my American History class and my African American Studies course. The Harlem Renaissance is what we are currently studying in AFAS. I have read passages from Alain Locke's 1925 book, The New Negro, and am pleased he is mentioned. His voice changed the African American reality in the United States as he became a spokesperson for a people longing for an identity. My understanding is as the blacks moved to urban areas in the Great Migration as it is called, they began to recognize other blacks, who were not from the South, with whom they could identify with. They were the same color, with the same features and a similar experience of resistance and the spirit to fight for freedom from around the world. With the resulting process blacks began to embrace, many changes has to be made within the culture's perspective of just who and what African Americans were.
Three Plays for a Negro Theatre, written by white playwright Ridgely Torrence in 1917 made the effort to eliminate caricatures of the mistrel or blackface Negro in American culture. Many African Americans (and whites) worked very hard to fight against these images and create a positive, dignified image of black people. The writings of many other African American scholars assisted in the movement to change our culture at the time. There were many authors, scholars and poets who contributed, including W.E. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and of course, Alain Locke.
Visual artists contributed their commitment to representing the African American as a human being of substance and worthy of respect. A photographic essay in the early 20th century introduced images of the Negro in a way which whites (and society as a whole at the time) could relate to and accept more easily. I have looked at these photographs and in class we have discussed how the subjects are photographed in the series. They usually are wearing fine clothing, appearing as any white person would, similar in style and formality. Again, this appears to be intentional in order to rid the public of a view of blacks pigeon holed as poor, country second-class pseudo-citizens.
I found the above painting interesting. The artist, Motley, states clearly he did not try to idealize the figures in the painting. The painting in particular shows an urban scene of the way it really was. Motley responded to his critics, "I have tried to paint the Negro as I have seen him and as I feel him, in my self without adding or detracting, just being frankly honest." (393) As others may have been trying to change the black image, Motley bravely painted the real. When I saw the beautiful big smiles on the two gentleman closest to the viewer in the painting, I couldn't help but think about what I have been learning. The red, big lips are a stereotypical characteristic of African Americans and Motley unapologetically portrays his subjects how they really look. The scene at this "barbecue" is warm and lively; I would love to attend, as everyone seems to be having fun. Hence, Motley painting the real is all the more inviting for my senses.
Three Plays for a Negro Theatre, written by white playwright Ridgely Torrence in 1917 made the effort to eliminate caricatures of the mistrel or blackface Negro in American culture. Many African Americans (and whites) worked very hard to fight against these images and create a positive, dignified image of black people. The writings of many other African American scholars assisted in the movement to change our culture at the time. There were many authors, scholars and poets who contributed, including W.E. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and of course, Alain Locke.
Visual artists contributed their commitment to representing the African American as a human being of substance and worthy of respect. A photographic essay in the early 20th century introduced images of the Negro in a way which whites (and society as a whole at the time) could relate to and accept more easily. I have looked at these photographs and in class we have discussed how the subjects are photographed in the series. They usually are wearing fine clothing, appearing as any white person would, similar in style and formality. Again, this appears to be intentional in order to rid the public of a view of blacks pigeon holed as poor, country second-class pseudo-citizens.
I found the above painting interesting. The artist, Motley, states clearly he did not try to idealize the figures in the painting. The painting in particular shows an urban scene of the way it really was. Motley responded to his critics, "I have tried to paint the Negro as I have seen him and as I feel him, in my self without adding or detracting, just being frankly honest." (393) As others may have been trying to change the black image, Motley bravely painted the real. When I saw the beautiful big smiles on the two gentleman closest to the viewer in the painting, I couldn't help but think about what I have been learning. The red, big lips are a stereotypical characteristic of African Americans and Motley unapologetically portrays his subjects how they really look. The scene at this "barbecue" is warm and lively; I would love to attend, as everyone seems to be having fun. Hence, Motley painting the real is all the more inviting for my senses.
Sargent Johnson, Forever Free. 1933
California native, Johnson, creates this sculpture demonstrating his perspective on what Black meant. The mother protects her two children, holding them close to her side. He wrote, "I am producing strictly a Negro Art, studying not the culturally mixed Negro of the cities, but the more primitive slave type as existed in this country during the period of slave importation." (392)
California native, Johnson, creates this sculpture demonstrating his perspective on what Black meant. The mother protects her two children, holding them close to her side. He wrote, "I am producing strictly a Negro Art, studying not the culturally mixed Negro of the cities, but the more primitive slave type as existed in this country during the period of slave importation." (392)
Jacob Lawrence, General Toussaint l'Overture Defeats the English at Saline. 1937-1938
Lawrence came from a Harlem artist. He created an entire series of 41 paintings depicting the life of Toussaint, a Black folk hero. Toussaint was the leader who helped liberate Haiti in 1804, the first independent nation in Latin America.
Lawrence described his style as "dynamic Cubanism" choosing to interpret African art and make it his own. (392)
Lawrence came from a Harlem artist. He created an entire series of 41 paintings depicting the life of Toussaint, a Black folk hero. Toussaint was the leader who helped liberate Haiti in 1804, the first independent nation in Latin America.
Lawrence described his style as "dynamic Cubanism" choosing to interpret African art and make it his own. (392)
Works Cited
Frank, Patricia. ARTFORMS. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 2011.
Frank, Patricia. ARTFORMS. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 2011.