Early Modern Art 1900-1939
The Harlem Renaissance is the era in which helped explore the influence and power of the African Americans and other African cultures around the world.
Exploring the Influence of African Americans
This is an oil canvas painted created by American painter Aaron Douglas. This is just one out of four paintings that he has created in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas. Currently this apart of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Into Bondage was created to share about the slave that were involuntary walking from the South states of Louisiana and Mississippi to the state of Texas during the time that the Juneteenth was being passed. This represents the Act of Juneteenth the day all slaves were to be set free.*
This is a woodcut on paper created by James Lesesne Wells. The creation was bought and gifted to the National Gallery of Art. However, this creation is not out for display.
Looking Upward was created to share the culture being protected by the West African. The City of Harlem to be exact.*
This is an oil canvas painting created by American painter George Bellows. This is now a highlight for the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Both Members of This Club represents the interracial boxing man between man of color and without.*
Yesterday versus Today
Yesterday, the Harlem Renaissance was one of the earliest wake up calls to the social outcasts of the African Americans and African cultures all around the world. Today, the Black Lives Matter movement is now one of the recent calls to help the African cultures in America and others around the world. These two Eras help voice the concerns of how unprotected their rights are in America to this day.
Importance
The emotional connection between all these paintings is how they relate to each other. The uprising of fighting for their rights as a human without being seen for their color or history. It shares a powerful message that even to this day they will not stop using their voices to share the divide that they are in. No piece is made by the one experiencing the pain they have endured, but it shows what it looks like to people who have moral thinking of separation of cultures.
References
“Looking Upward, 1928.” Edited by National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, 1994, www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.91399.html#provenance.
American Art Museum, Smithsonian. “Looking Upward.” Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1993, americanart.si.edu/artwork/looking-upward-33802.
Gallery of Art, National. “Into Bondage.” National Gallery of Art, 1936, www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.166444.html.
Harper, Mel. “Look to the Light: A Reflection on Aaron Douglas’s ‘Into Bondage.’” National Gallery of Art, June 2020, www.nga.gov/stories/look-to-the-light.html.
Bellows, George. “Both Members of This Club.” National Gallery of Art, 1909, www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.30667.html#bibliography.
R Eron, Dr Abby. “George Bellows, Both Members of This Club.” Smarthistory George Bellows Both Members of This Club Comments, 9 Aug. 2015, smarthistory.org/bellows-both-members-of-this-club/.
Ciamparella, A. (2022). Remembering the Harlem Renaissance and Its People in the Time of #Black Lives Matter. Humanities Bulletin, 4(2), 123–135. Retrieved from https://journals.lapub.co.uk/index.php/HB/article/view/2144
Ryan, Laura. “‘Let America Be America Again’: The Harlem Renaissance in the Age of Black Lives Matter.” The Modernist Review, The Month in Modernism, 10 Nov. 2020, modernistreviewcouk.wordpress.com/2020/11/09/let-america-be-america-again-the-harlem-renaissance-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter/.
What appeals to me is the strength in all of the pieces of art. Even going through what they are, there is still a sense of resilience. I see that especially in "Into Bondage" where some are looking up at the shining light from the star. They all used different styles for their art but each of them has an effect that pulls me in. These paintings all show the connection of African Americans and their history that still connects to the present now. Each of them represents a different part of their history and the journeys that they've had to go through. I find it interesting how some sources say different things. I used the same painting "Into Bondage" for my blog post but my source said that it was to represent African Americans being sold into slavery and those ships were headed to grab them.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship to the theme is presented very well as all of the art pieces represent cultural or political expression in Early Modern Art. You made it clear especially in the strengths and struggles of the African American experience and how it was communicated which made it stand out to me the most. The piece Into Bondage by Aaron Douglas was pretty moving in the way the artist used color and the composition and in the message it is carried about history is truly great, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your comparison between the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Lives Matter movement. Both highlight the struggles of African Americans and their cultural contributions. It's clear that the fight is still ongoing today. The emotional ties are strong; each piece shows the pain and hope of those who faced oppression. The message from these artists- that they will not be silenced and will continue to fight is still important today. I really enjoyed your post!
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