Your homework for this week is to choose one of four piece of Harlem Renaissance art (check the calendar for these) and "write about its artist and the work in their contribution to and expression of the ideas of the Harlem Renaissance." It is important to note that there are some clear expectations, and I'm going to go through each of these for a different piece of art, step by step.
Provide a personal analysis of the work before any research is done.
Research the context of the work's creation.
Research details on the cultural and historical context of the work.
How was the work received at the time?
I'm going to go through each section for the work below. The work you turn in should be something similar to what I have done in each section. This does not have to be written like an essay. It must be written in sentences and paragraphs, but may be broken up into sections as I am doing. (My version will include notes about why I am saying what I am saying on the side, in italics.)
Aaron Douglas, Aspects of Negro Life: From Slavery to Reconstruction, 1934
STEP ONE: Personal Analysis
Aaron Douglas' From Slavery to Reconstruction is filled with figures of people. In the left foreground appears to be African plantation workers and toward the right men shining lights onto other figures whose arms are upraised, possibly men being captured. In the center is a man standing taller than the rest, an outstretched hand pointing to two far-off structures and in his opposite hand a book from which light is radiating outward. On the far right, figures play a horn and dance.
This scene, as its title implies, seems to tell a story of conflict and progress for the American negro, demonstrating the hardship of the cotton fields. The men picking from the field have their heads turned toward the man standing center; he seems to be denouncing what may be the plantation homes on the hill. Based on the light that radiates from it and the importance it must have, he may be holding in his hand a Bible, perhaps suggesting that from this book came the strength to rebel against the slave-owners on the plantations. The men with their hands up are likely to be escaped slaves, the product of that figure in the center standing up against injustice. On the far right, the contemporary culture of the American negro appears to be portrayed, one of artistry and jubilance. This work demonstrates that the culture of the African American man as he existed in Harlem is tied closely with the struggles he has faced. For this reason and its warm color palate, it feels hopeful despite the depiction of hardship.
STEP TWO: The Context of the Work's Creation
It is worth noting that I am doing some research here, but am not quoting. If you quote directly I want in-text citations, but you may paraphrase to your heart's content for this assignment. Still include sources in MLA format at the end of homework.
Aaron Douglas was a Renaissance artist who often painted murals for buildings and produced art for many African American publications. He became well known, at least in part, because his use of African imagery caught the attention of other important Harlem Renaissance figures. This connection to the history of the American Negro's experience is seen in the cotton picking, and it may be that the more abstract shapes on the far left may represent a more distant African past.
This particular work was created as part of a series of four murals, each under the title of Aspects of Negro Life. Each represented the heritage, creativity, determination, and power of African people, especially celebrating Jazz in multiple. These murals were created for the Harlem branch of the New York Public Library. Douglas was seen by many to represent the "New Negro."
In the research I performed it is suggested that the item being held in the center of the work is not a bible, but the Emancipation Proclamation, a document that freed southern slaves. The effect of this document, (as in the mural above) radiated out, affecting the lives of all American men of color.
STEP THREE: Historical and Cultural Context
(I literally can't do this section without giving you the information you need about the Harlem Renaissance, and I want you to look it up yourself. Explaining what the Harlem Renaissance was about, who the "New Negro" was, and why these things were important to African Americans and African American art is what you need to put in here).
STEP FOUR: Reception of the work
While many championed Douglas' work, such as W.E.B. DuBois and other figures of the Harlem Renaissance, there was some dissenting opinions. There was some criticism of the angular shapes used by Douglas, which some felt suggested an inferior ability when compared to white artists. Others were critical of the connection he often made to traditional Africans, a connection that could be considered to separate the American man of color from his Americanism, removing him even further from the American culture that is dominated by whites.
So that's about it... I would also include a works cited at this point. If you are unsure of how to put one together, visit purdue owl.
(Originally Published April 4th, 2016)