“While realistic and faithful
depictions of human beings, nature and ideas, have been the main focus of
western art, namely the art of and influenced by Europe, African American art
steps “outside of the box” often times distorting the natural image of people,
objects or places in order to represent a certain idea.”
– Kirsten Harper. Throughout time, art has maintained a significant role in
human culture. African American Art in its context is used for more than mere
enjoyment. It is at times used to
symbolize various cultural practices, environments, and emotions. Its
various meanings are inculcated into the African American people. Like the art
of all peoples, the art of African Americans express values, attitudes, and
thoughts of which are the products of their past experience. For that reason,
the study of their art provides a way of learning about their history (Giblin, 1999, pg 1).
African
American art is usually a personal expression of a mood or social commentary
that is visualized through art medium. People who have been trained in the ways
of western thinking have developed view points on beauty and form in art that
greatly contrast to African American Art. Westerners or Europeans specifically,
focus on realistic depictions of people and nature. African American art tends
to depict an emotion or an emotional context, rather than realism. (Forna, A.)
Beauty in western eyes is depicted as perfect form. The body is shown as how it
would usually look, correctly and perfectly proportionate. In African American
Art, the body is often used as a symbol.
Whether
or not a person likes art, they can benefit from the differential point of view
presented in the work. In my opinion it is important to study African American
art because it is an essential part of American History. As Henry
Louis Gates stated from Africana: The
Encyclopedia of African and African American Experience:
Art’s
capacity to endow the artist, viewer, and others with self-affirmation and a
sense of cultural authority became the benchmark for the BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT of
the late 1960s and early 1970s. During this period African American writers,
performing artists, and visual artists made black culture and the political
struggles of black peoples worldwide their raison d’être. Slogans like “Black
Is Beautiful” and “Black Power,” as well as jazz and soul music, became the
soundtrack for works by painter Murry DePillars, mixed-media artist Ben Jones,
and muralist Dana Chandler. Jeff Donaldson, a cofounder of the Chicago-based
black artist collective AFRI-COBRA, not only added to this milieu with his own
African textile–inspired, mixed-media works, but he wrote influential art
manifestos and helped organize international expositions of black artists in
Africa and North America.
Two
African American artists I will highlight are from the past and present: Mary
Edmonia Lewis who was a sculpture from 1844-1907 and Purvis Young, who recently
passed away. Edmonia Lewis was the first African American
woman to gain fame and recognition as a sculptor on an international level. Purvis
Young lacked a formal education in art, but he taught himself by reading and
studying in libraries. His art work has been shown nationwide; often depicting
many problems in the African-American community. Both of these people have
undergone some trial to succeed as artist and both have had the benefit of
their work becoming known to support the community.
As
modern art movements progressed and people diverted from “true form” and went
into expressionism and surrealism, fondness for African American art emerged.
African American art tends to feature nature as something that cannot be
contained through simple visual means. The beauty of nature and humans must be
acted out, undefined, and abstract.
Works Cited:
Forna,
A. (Director). Through African Eyes:
African Art. London: BBC
Giblin, James . "African History." The
University of Iowa. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 1999.
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