Black Artists in the Early Modern Era

Introduction 

    The Early Modern art era took place in the 20th century, and was influenced by the nature of a world in motion. It was an ever-changing time period as World War I unfolded, the Great Depression devastated America, the rise of fascist leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini shook the world, and innovations in religion, science and invention birthed many prominent collaborative artist groups and distinct styles. One of the communities that emerged as a result of this explosive atmosphere were the artists of the Harlem Renaissance, a group comprised of Black musicians, artists and intellectuals. They were originally united by the attraction that former slaves had to industrialized cities due to job opportunities after the Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation took effect. The city that they called home was New York, and they forged a space for black culture to blossom like it was never able to before. They showcased their talents in nightclubs and cafes, where singers such as Duke Ellington would play, and intellects like Zora Neale Hurston would read, write and discuss. This dense flurry of culture and community inspired the art of the time. Three works that express the zeal, emotion, passion, honesty and intellect of Black artists in the Early Modern Era were Boxer, The Chain Gang & They were very poor.

Boxer

    Boxer is a bronze sculpture created by American artist Richmond Barthé in 1942. It was created in New York City and is still there at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture was made from memory and depicts the famous Cuban fighter "Kid Chocolate." The artist was inspired by the simultaneous delicacy and strength of the Black fighter. During the time of the Harlem Renaissance, Black people were embracing the culture they had created for themselves after being torn from their roots and forced into centuries of enslavement, oppression and torture at the hands of colonizers. They were able to express themselves, pursue their creativity and explore and analyze their history and current treatment more than ever. They were free from slavery, but they were not free from discrimination and prejudice. This sculpture dared to challenge the narrative that tried to tell Black people who they were and who they could be. It represents them with fragility and fortitude, masculinity and femininity, and servitude and authority. He shows the full encapsulation of the black experience, and in his sculptureBoxer, reveals the duality within the fighter, himself and all Black people that wasn't present or believed in the mainstream. 

   I enjoy this sculpture a lot and could look at it for hours. It draws you in with its twists and turns, what you initially see as an inconsistency turning into a beautiful and critical contrast as you continue to look. It shows a wide range of emotionally evocative issues represented in this sculpture. It shows fluidity and range, a person in a situation that requires the upmost strength and perseverance remaining light, alert and graceful. It represents a person bursting at the seams with individuality, purpose and duality. Barthé emphasizes form to reflect the masculinity of the man, the most detailed piece in his form being his muscles- protruding across his chest and arms, a solid symbol of masculinity. His furrowed brow and forward-leaning shoulders indicate a man ready for fight and for intimidation. His legs are less muscled, having a feminine angle to them and his standing on his toes indicating a lean in the walk to his fight that is unsure yet diligent, assertive and equip. Although he is working as a dominant force in his march towards his fight, there is an underlying theme of his general sub-ordinance in his slouch and blocking arm position. The color of the sculpture is a deep, lustrous Black that reflects a sense of pride, beauty and uniqueness, and emphasizes the form further by catching the light at each angle, expression, vein and chisel of muscle. Barthé is working to show a sense of identity flourishing with strength, grace and vulnerability, and multifaceted idea of the Black American that wasn't broadly accepted. 

The Chain Gang

    The Chain Gang is an oil on plywood painting by American artist William H. Johnson. It was painted in 1939 in New York City, and remains there at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. It depicts three black men in prison uniforms, working in a field. It is a painting about the reality of the Black prison experience and its parallels to slavery. It alludes to the oppression they face in the outside world and the unfortunate roots of the unity that comes as a result of such oppression. Although slavery was abolished in the years prior, it was still present in many institutions and in subliminal treatment. Black people were marginalized and forced into segregated communities and the prison system, unsafe jobs with unfair pay, and discouraged or prohibited from expressing themselves and their explosive creative and academic genius. They were far from free. This painting illustrates that reality and universal experiences of captivity and discrimination that Black people faced even after being "freed." 

     I like this painting for what I can learn from it. As you study it, you see the underlying layers and emotions and it allows you an attempt to try and understand what Black people have faced, and the immense ways in which it has effected them. One of The Chain Gang's most prominent elements is its color. The vibrant greens and yellows were common in the art of this time. Black people embraced more vibrant colors, embracing their African heritage, creativity and expressiveness after so many years of being robbed of their ability to do so. Another element that drives the piece is form and expression. Each man in the painting represents a sliver of the experience. The man on the left is slouched to the ground, with tired shut eyes and a defeated expression. The man on the right looks edgy and angry, but tired nonetheless, and the man in the middle looks sorrowfully hopeful, and carries on the theme of fatigue amongst the subjects. Line also adds to the painting, as the stripes on the outfit and the thin lines that create each man force them to blend into one another, melding into one experience. These paintings create a lot of emotions around feeling trapped, and being rid of your identity due to other people's inability to see past the things one cannot control, such as skin color. 

They were very poor

    They were very poor is a casein tempera on hardwood painting by Jacob Lawrence in 1940. It was made in New York and also remains there at the Museum of Modern Art. It is one of thirty parts under the Migration Series, a collection about the exodus of Black people from the South to Northern industrialized cities looking for workers after World War I.  This painting depicts two people sitting at a table with plates in front of a plain background. This was a pivotal part of Black history, as it spread the population North and cemented them as crucial contributors to labor and industry work. They set roots in places like New York that would result in many coveted cultural innovations in Jazz, art, poetry, dance, fashion and writing, invention and academia. This didn't come easy though, as it took most generations or more to establish themselves financial and enjoy pastimes, talents and hobbies that would change the culture. They were underpaid, treated horribly and were not permitted to work in some places that paid more due to segregation. This painting illustrates this hardship, and the disappointment of people who left everything behind to pursue a better life, and were met with a new type of struggle. 

    This is another painting that I like because of its educational and introspective potential. It allows a range of perspectives to take something from it, some appreciating the sacrifices and struggle of generations before them, and some recognizing the privilege it requires to not have hundreds of years of struggle as an unavoidable part of your history. The key elements to this painting are color, texture and form. The colors are vibrant and primary, yet muted. They contrast with the dark hair and skin tones, emphasizing that and drawing back to the colors of the culture and pride I previously mentioned when analyzing the Chain Gang. Texture is also present here, and creates intimacy within the painting. The artist, Jacob Lawrence, was the son of migrants, giving him a direct connection to this piece that surely affected his elemental choices. The texture of the background looks as if he painting something as he was recalling it or experiencing it. It has the haze and transparency of a memory, from the border to the table to the plain blue wall. Form, line and expression are also important here. The subjects are hunched over, with thick, basic lines representing facial expression of complacency and weariness. It draws on feelings of monotony and hopelessness that were surely felt at the time. 

Conclusion 

    The art of the Early Modern era expressed an overwhelming explosion of emotions and anxiety surrounding a multitude of issues and atrocities. One of the main contributors to this era were Black artists, who expressed their identity, distain, pain, struggle, genius, uniqueness and beauty through their art and carved out a space for themselves in the industry from that point forward. The art is beautifully uncomfortable and inspires viewers to either relate or think introspectively and gain perspective on something that you will never experience but must attempt to understand and reconcile, which has always been one of the marvelous strengths of art. 

Works Cited

1920s African American Culture. www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/cms/lib/WA01001786/Centricity/Domain/70/Chapter%2010%20Section%205%20African%20American%20Culture.pdf. 

200 Years of African American Art. philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/ex_resources/Represent.pdf. 

Barthé, Richmond. The Boxer. 1 Jan. 1970, www.artic.edu/artworks/62452/the-boxer. 

Connor, Patrick. “Eligio Sardiñas - The Original Kid Chocolate, Cuba's First World Champion.” Knuckles and Gloves, 14 Oct. 2020, www.knucklesandgloves.com/eligio-sardinas-original-kid-chocolate/. 

“Duke Ellington.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Duke-Ellington. 

“The Emancipation Proclamation.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation. 

History.com Editors. “Segregation in the United States.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Nov. 2018, www.history.com/topics/black-history/segregation-united-states. 

History.com Editors. “The Great Migration.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 4 Mar. 2010, www.history.com/topics/black-history/great-migration. 

Jacob Lawrence: The Migration Series, lawrencemigration.phillipscollection.org/. 

Lawrence, Jacob. Jacob Lawrence. They Were Very Poor. 1940-41: MoMA. www.moma.org/collection/works/78552. 

Naacp, et al. The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom The Segregation Era (1900–1939). 10 Oct. 2014, www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/segregation-era.html. 

National Gallery of Art. www.nga.gov/education/teachers/lessons-activities/uncovering-america/harlem-renaissance.html. 

Zora Neale Hurston, 29 Mar. 2018, www.zoranealehurston.com/.