Discussion Week 10 - Humanities 112

Twentieth Century African-American Artists

Choose two (2) of the following late 20th century African-American artists, and compare and contrast their art: Bearden, Lawrence, Basquiat, or Colescott. Provide examples in your comparison.

Romare Howard Bearden &
Robert Colescott

Romare Howard Bearden was born in Charlotte, NC in 1911 and died in 1988 but not before he showed the world his phenomenal approach toward reflecting blackness in extreme.

Embedded in his artistical pieces are emotional feelings depicting pleading, skepticism and disbelief in the “Presage.". Symbolic is the parental man admonishing and correcting unwanted behavior and her hands close together reflects her guilt and acceptance of her punishment. Reflecting skepticism is the other woman who feelings reflect that she will probably misbehave again and that the admonishment is useless. In “Southern Recall” is a depiction of a collage mixed with painting reflecting male and female (black) love of music and living a rather impoverish life. Another example of his art is “The Lamp” which is a tribute to the march against segregation and desire for equitable education.

Robert Colescott was born in Oakland, California in 1925 and died in 2009 but left behind his inventive and controversial exhibits of paintings that challenged stereotypes of a sexual and racial nature and displayed sin at its most prevalent.

In one of his paintings “Heartbreak Hotel” this one characterized black people love of money, entertainment, prostitution of women of various shades, with the white hands symbolizing white patrons and secrecy with a woman’s lips firmly closed to ensure it.

Another painting “Ode to Joy” is full of sexual allure and money with the appropriation of dope and its influence and seductive power. What you wish for can be obtained for a little money. Rub the lamp and all become true with cupid shooting his arrow making all accessible.

“Power for Desire – Desire for Power” reflects that intermingled in this painting is the ambitious women who consort with men for their power and influence. Not distracting from the theme is that there is no difference between the race or color of women and the sexual partner they are with. The ulterior motive is the same money and influence. Depicted also is a couple with one bag of groceries signifying poverty and two men (one black and one white) onlooking with ambition and desire for same.

Romare Bearden’s “Presage” approach is symbolic and exemplifies a style created by Picasso in Les Demoiselles d’Avignon utilizing tension to support the theme and emotional level whereas Robert Colescott approach in “Power for Desire – Desire for Power" is similar to Henri Matisse’s Joy of Life with emphasis on sexual alludes, with tension and supportive emotional levels coming through. Both have the ability to project anguish at the impoverishment in varying paintings in which they both acknowledge and expose the plight of black people and exploitation. Reflecting seduction, greed and methodology used to gain objective is a clear reflection of the “who” who is profiting. Both styles are expressionist explosions on canvas bursting with outrage and emotional feeling.

In contrast, Romare Howard Bearden’s work has more structure and control while Robert Colescott’s work is extreme but with a more free hand and liberalness and ability to invade and pursue the truth. Colescott’s work pushes the button with extremeness and riskiness while Bearden’s work is more confined but is addressing the same issues in black’s life.

Describe two specific elements of the works from the chosen artists that represent the multiplicity of the African-American experience.

Two specific elements included in the works (paintings) from both artists are the raw expression of black identity and self-awareness. Utilizing various themes within a painting they both were able to portray the hardships, stereotypes addressed toward black people and the restrictive aspects that are attributed to the entire black race by utilizing multiplicity as a tool to facilitate and argue the why the crippling of a race is continuously done. Further suppression and oppression acts as an operative to forbid and prevent escalation and the fight against argumentative points against black people. In all the paintings is a challenge to the reason of the “why” and a hope and bid to change the circumstances and plight of black people.

The usual process to challenge exploitation is to take a stance and be supportive against discriminatory practices and expose it, expose it, expose it, expose it until someone listens and helps. Further disproving the stereotypes and accusatory comments whether in art, writing, portraiture and other endeavors is the only avenue allowed and allows wide exposure to injustices which will allow the return of grace and contribution from an oppressed race.

Both Romare Howard Bearden’s and Robert Colescott’s work is involving and communicative and sparks the psychological analysis of a people done wrong.

Identify one (1) of these works (or some other by an African American artist) that you would like in your workplace, and explain why.

Romare Bearden’s "Presage" is the painting that I would exhibit in my home or work place because it gives credit that a black man is on his duty to ensure the correct running of his household and acts as the final administrator to rules and regulations that he has set down. Further the docility and humbleness of the young lady in question is viewed as accepting and is conciliatory toward correction and willingness to be obedient. Impressive also is the woman with skepticism whose face is partially shaded with black and slight irregularities expressing a hard life. But overriding that is the compelling images of him and the young lady with him painted with various colors of blue which is reflective of the stress that he is going through with her and her exhibit of one blue hand and one black reflecting that she will attempt to be obedient but has a bent toward veering another way.

I like this painting because its imagery of emotion is very deep, intriguing and a true facilitator to the life that all black people experience with black young ladies to ensure that corrective measures can be done as well as have knowledge of the temptations that are out there.

Thank you.

Felicia

http://www.beardenfoundation.org/artlife/biography/biography.shtml
http://www.beardenfoundation.org/index2.shtml
http://www.wikiart.org/en/romare-bearden
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/arts/design/10colescott.html
http://arthurrogergallery.com/artists/robert-colescott/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Colescott
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/colescott-robert-1925

co-student reply

I agree that both (Romare Bearden & Jean-Michel Basquiat) as African Americans or black citizens did their part in portraying elemental feeling in all of their artistical work. One with expressionist art and the other with graffiti which is a self-taught expression and allows deep emotional depictions and is very abstract and unusual.

One thing about collages is that the piece here or there makes a person center on it and begin an analysis and if done right ... so does the agreement of viewer coincide.

Bearden was able to exhibit a connection of a train to historical fact. He was able to use his artistical talents to tell a tale to all the horrific experiences and flight to freedom and hope for a better life with the Great Migration movement.

In "Irony of a Negro Policeman" Basquiat reflective points show that he felt a conflict as to whether a person of African American descent could adequately be an objective enforcer and that he was merely a pawn used by white society. Contrary to his opinion or theme relayed, I disagree and feel all rules stands for all races with no favoritism at all and that a black man or woman can more than adequately do the job needed.

Thank you.

Felicia