...Nina Wohl Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences AHIS W4855 African American Artists in the 20th and 21st Centuries Spring 2012 Research Paper – African American Art & the Great Depression The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn of the twentieth century. The federal government took unprecedented action to provide relief, recovery and reform. No group was harder hit by the Great Depression than African Americans. The New Deal was slow to deal with the unique situation faced by African Americans. The struggles of the Great Depression laid the foundation for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Art would play an important role in influencing the future. Despite its limitations, the New Deal, through the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) Federal Arts Program (FAP), was responsible for reshaping the cultural agenda and “marked a significant turning point in the production of black culture.”1 The artists of the Great Depression built upon the work done during the Harlem Renaissance. New Deal art extended and affirmed art that translated “politics into cultural terms.”2 The FAP looked for a “new sense of authentic American culture – one that championed national values and traditions by celebrating regional and racial diversity.”3 As a result, many artists worked to place African Americans in the historical narrative of the United States while combating long held stereotypes. None were less important than Aaron Douglas...
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...African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many casual observers tend to generalize African art, the continent is full of peoples, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual special culture. The definition also includes the art of the African Americans. Despite this diversity, there are some unifying artistic themes when considering the totality of the visual culture from the continent of Africa. The origins of African art lie long before recorded history. African art has a long and surprisingly controversial history. Up until recently, the designation African was usually only bestowed on the arts of black Africa, the peoples living in Sub-Saharan Africa. The non-black peoples of North Africa, the people of the Horn of Africa, as well as the art of ancient Egypt, generally were not included under the rubric of African art. Recently, however, there has been a movement among African art historians and other scholars to include the visual culture of these areas, since all the cultures that produced them, in fact, are located within the geographic boundaries of the African continent. The notion is that by including all African cultures and their visual culture in African art, laypersons will gain a greater understanding of the continent's cultural diversity. Since there was often a confluence of traditional African, Islamic and Mediterranean cultures, scholars have found that drawing distinct divisions between Muslim areas, ancient Egypt...
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...Mackenzie Parham Art 1030 – R62 Art Review African Art Brooks Museum is well known in Memphis as an art museum filled with many painting, artifacts and exhibits that are ever changing. I decided to make a trip to see the new exhibits, which include “Looking at Women,” photography by Whitten Sabbatini and “Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt.” Along with these exhibits are their permanent collections, whom which they add to yearly, they include paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from the American to 1990, European to 1900, Modern and Contemporary, Ancient Art and African Art. I have been to this Museum many times in the past and one of the collections of Art that I always gravitate towards is the African Art. This collection of Art consists of artworks from Sudan, Central Africa and West Africa. These objects consisted of ceremonial masks made of wood, feathers, plant fibers, beads, fur, cloth, copper and other miscellaneous objects, Wooden figured called Pounders, religious scrolls and books and other artifacts pertaining to their culture. In this exhibit contained many masks. Two of the mask that was most interesting to me was a mask called the “Elephant Society Mask” and “Bwoom Helmet Mask.” The Elephant Mask was made by canvas embroidered with beads. It was from the Bamileke kingdom. Men that were members of this kingdom called Kuosi wore these masks to major festivals and royal funerals, the mask represent the royal elephant. The Bwoom Mask is from...
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...Examination of Two African American Artists Name Title Unit Code Introduction Artist refers to broad spectrum wide ranging word that covers activities related to creative art, demonstrating art, and practicing art. Artistic works by the African American artists have played a great role in revolutionizing the scene of the American culture displayed to the outside world. Becoming an artist is an intensive process requiring talent and social recognition through provision of social support. In the early ages, artists in America were selected basing on their race. However, the beginning of the 19th century saw the establishment of Negro movement that advocated for social recognition of the black artists in America. This provided the artists with a platform for expressing their talents through music, writings, and visual artworks on issues related to social, political, and economic conditions facing the blacks in America. Therefore, this research paper will examine the life history of two famous African American artists in history. The analysis will consider their early lives, education backgrounds and their contributions that led to their social recognition. The research will end with the comparison of the two personalities and come up with a conclusion. The two personalities examined in the research paper are Henry Ossawa Tanner, and Romare Bearden. Romare Bearden’s Early Life Romare Bearden is one of the African American artist and writer...
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...(1934) is an art piece painted by Aaron Douglas. He was an African-American painter during the Harlem Renaissance movement. As the title suggests, the painting is a description of the history of African-Americans from slavery through reconstruction time. The art piece is divided up into different sections and highlights the racism toward African-Americans. On the left side of the painting you see black people with drums and a crop growing in the background. This section of the painting shows a time where Africans were free and not slaves. Moving a little to the right, we see oppression and slavery through the black people being hunched over in the painting. Towards the middle of the art piece we see a person standing up pointing and showing the desire to fight against slavery and to the right of him you see people with their fists up and ready to fight against the oppression and slavery. This piece of art explores Negro heritage from left to right. I like this piece of art because of the soft colors and the neutral appearance of the silhouettes of people. This painting describes African-American culture and their struggle to end slavery. Everything in this painting describes life of African-American and their struggle in the 1900’s. Historical Context Douglas’s painting Aspects of Negro Life: From Slavery to Reconstruction provided a big contribution during the New Negro movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. This movement increased awareness of black art and culture...
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...Art theory 1 & History of Art and Design 1 Introduction to African Art Africa is a vast continent, with many cultures distinct from one another, so that various different styles can be identified. Sculpture While paintings and engravings are most frequently found in savanna areas, sculpture is most prevalent in the forests of West Africa, in particular the Congo Basin. Tradition is one manner in which a culture may be preserved. This is visible in a great deal of traditional African art. The preservation of one’s specific culture is a strong motivating force behind the production of African sculptures that are described as “tribal”. Because the art is meant to communicate the identity of a specific society, to promote the strength and longevity, such sculptures do not change their style very frequently. Therefore, artists work within a certain canon. This canon is determined by tradition, providing the artist with guidelines for the creation. It would, for example determine the proportions of the figure, its posture, etc. Such traditional sculptures therefore have developed a certain language: the viewer knows that certain parts mean certain things – e.g. lines on the face (scarification marks or tattoos) and the stylized hairstyle that specific society, etc. This specific language has been created over the decades, and allows the artist to communicate coherently. This coherent communication is vital, as art is intended primarily to fulfill a social function. It becomes a...
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...African art history Every civilization throughout history has recorded their beliefs, history and ideologies through different mediums and artwork. Three core beliefs of African societies included honoring ancestors and animal deities, elevating rulers to a sacred status and consulting diviners and fortune tellers. You can see this in their artwork by the use of symbolism in the sculpture to portray how important someone was by making a rulers head oversized and the use of tame animals near the figure to show his power over all things. They also honored their ancestors by way of body decoration and modification, rituals and masks. Being firm believers in the spirit world, they made grand forms of architecture using brick and living rock to create places of worship. The early African people had a few ways of remembering and honoring their ancestors and family, like making sculptures for display in shrines or making pendants and jewelry depicting the likeness of those who perished. One example of this is the Waist pendant of a queen mother, from Benin Nigeria, ca. 1520, thought to portray the mother of Oba Esigie. The naturalistic ivory pendant symbolized the legacy of a dynasty and was made to honor the king’s mother. There are Portuguese heads on the top and bottom of the head. The Portuguese were thought of as people from the spirit world who brought wealth, power and prosperity to the king. Trade networks led to the wide spread of religion throughout early African...
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...having their own purpose for African-Americans. White is an extraordinary artist who has changed history and affected many African-Americans for the better. Charles White Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 2, 1918 to the parents of Ethel Gary and Charles White Sr. At a young age, White realized his passion for art and it was only fueled more when one day after school he met art students from the Art Institute of Chicago who taught him how to mix paint. Not too long after did White begin to skip school because of...
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...and inspiration originated, I will discuss two historical art periods and illustrate how one art period is a continuation of, or a reaction to, the earlier art period. However, first I would like to refresh our understanding of what art truly is. Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. It is how we see ourselves. It is how we see each other. It is how we see the world. It is how we stay focused and grounded with our roots and beliefs, so that we know where we come from, what we have been through, and where we are heading. It is my intention to prove that the later art period came about as a continuation of the earlier art period. The two art periods that I have chosen are the Renaissance and the Harlem Renaissance art periods. In a nutshell, the Renaissance simply was a period of rebirth. It is a period during the 14th through the 17th century in which the arts were revived. The reason for this revival was because The Middle Ages were over. During that period, territorial struggles throughout Europe had made people more concerned with staying in good graces with whoever was ruling them at that particular time. The rulers, themselves, were more concerned with preoccupying and expanding their control. And with the Roman Catholic Church having its strong foothold in society during this era, no one really had time left over to even think about art. The characteristics of Renaissance art include realism, expression, perspective, classicism, an emphasis...
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...Key to notes listed a = also approved for Analyzing the Natural World b = also approved for Understanding the Individual and Society c = also approved for Understanding the Past d = also approved for Understanding the Creative Arts e = also approved for Exploring World Cultures f = also approved for Understanding U.S. Society g = Indicated courses specifically designed for those majoring in areas other than science and mathematics h = LAS nonlaboratory courses Anthropology (ANTH) | 102 | Introduction to Archaeology | 4 hourscg | 105 | Human Evolution | 4 hourscg | 218 | Anthropology of Children and Childhood | 3 hoursbh | 238 | Biology of Women Same as GWS 238 | 3 hoursgh | | | | Biological Sciences (BIOS) | 100 | Biology of Cells and Organisms | 5 hours | 101 | Biology of Populations and Communities | 5 hours | 104 | Life Evolving | 5 hoursg | | | | Chemistry (CHEM) | 100 | Chemistry and Life | 5 hoursg | 112 | General College Chemistry I | 5 hours | 114 | General College Chemistry II | 5 hours | 116 | Honors General Chemistry I | 5 hours | 118 | Honors General Chemistry II | 5 hours | 130 | Survey of Organic and Biochemistry | 5 hours | | | | Computer Science (CS) | 100 | Discovering Computer Science | 3 hoursh | | | | Earth and Environmental Sciences (EAES) | 101 | Global Environmental Change | 4 hours | 111 | Earth, Energy, and the Environment | 4 hours | 200 | Field Work in Missouri | 2 hours...
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...Nicole Cruz Professor Garver Philosophy 303 7 May 2014 The Works Progress Administration: How Federalism Enabled Social Reform Through Art Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” The Works Progress Administration, established by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, aimed to provide an opportunity for both people and the American economy during a time of great struggle within the United States. What made the Works Progress Administration significant in United States history was the fact that it unintentionally stimulated social reform and progress within American society, even though its main purpose was to create jobs for artists and stimulate economic growth. An analysis of artwork from the Works Progress Administration, reveals that, through the United States’ involvement of creating jobs for artists, social, racial and gender barriers were disseminated, which allowed for progress in American society both economically and socially. After being elected into the presidency in 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his New Deal to the American people, which addressed the devastating effects of the Great Depression. A number of bills were passed as part of the New Deal that was meant to alleviate the poverty rate, reduce unemployment, and stimulate economic recovery. Historians consider the Works Progress Administration...
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...Douglas attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln where he earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. In 1925 he moved to Harlem because of its blossoming art scene and a year later he married Alta Sawyer. The artist had a unique style which often created images that demonstrated the life and struggles of African Americans. Along with novelist Wallace Thurman, Douglas worked on a magazine to show African American art and Literature. During the 1930s he painted some of his most well-known work and was hired by Fisk University to create a mural for their library. His first solo art show took place in New York City, 1933 and a short time after he began a series of murals that depicted the African American experience entitled "Aspects of Negro Life". Douglas returned to Fisk University in the late 1930s as an assistant professor and became the founder of the schools art department. Later in his life he retired from Fisk University and continued painting and lecturing until his death on February...
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...When Africans first touched down on American soil, the majority were used for one reason. To be slaves on plantations throughout the United States of America. They would soon be known as African-Americans as time wore on and their time spent in the United States increased. A multitude of changes occurred over their time in this country from when they were slaves until modern day America. An Installation Artist by the name of Kara Walker has tried to document these changes in her artwork, which will be seen later on throughout the piece. Something unlike the images that you have seen to describe African-American culture through the years, her images contain a sense of brutally honest ethnically charged art that is famous worldwide. Kara Walker...
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...Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic movement where African Americans were represented. The Harlem Renaissance had black culture, mostly from the United States and the Caribbean, and it spread across beyond Harlem. There are a couple of names for this period of time such as “ the Blues” ,“ The Jazz Age ”, “ The New Negro Movement” among others. Many African American musicians, writers, performers, poets, and any person that worked in the arts were influenced by this American cultural setting. The Harlem Renaissance took place around 1920 and ended at sometime in the 1930’s. Some scholars think that the time is from 1918 to 1937. (U.S. History, Harlem Renaissance paragraph 1-2)...
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...Displaying racial identity in form of arts can have both positive and negative effects. Art can be used to glorify and empower the race, but it can also be used to promote superiority of certain racial groups over the others. One of the racial groups that I would like to discuss in my essay is the representation of African Americans in art. The way African Americans were displayed in art was correlated to the historical events. Over the 150 years, unflattering images of African Americans have been common in popular culture. For example, Aunt Jemima who was a domestic servant whose tittle of ”aunt” was commonly used for African American domestic servants such as nannies, maids, and servants. Aunt Jemima is a caricatured fat woman who has been...
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