Think You Know Black America?

Artworks

• Think You Know Black America (1)
• Gone: An Historical Romance of a Civil War as It Occurred between the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart (1994) — Gone: An Historical Romance of a Civil War as It Occurred between the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart, Kara Walker 1994. Paper, Overall 13x50' (396.2 x1524 cm). This is a piece that is meant to challenge what we have been taught in history class about the realities of African American slavery. The artist wants us to see the power imbalance and cruelty for what it truly was. The version of history that has been learned and accepted by our society is a watered down and much gentler account of what occurred. The black silhouettes against the white background draw the viewer in for a closer look at the story unfolding. Sexual abuse and violence within slave and master relationships can be seen. This artwork was inspired by the movie/book "Gone with the Wind." Attention is drawn to the normalized racism, especially showcasing slaves as being happy or ignorant, which can be seen in both the movie as well as this art piece.
• The American People Series #20: Die (1967) — The American People Series #20: Die, 1967 Faith Ringgold. Oil on canvas, two panels; Dimensions: 72 x 144" (182.9 x 365.8 cm) Judgement-This painting was a vessel for the artist to communicate what she and society both knew was taking place but was being ignored and not acknowledged. The fights were all related to race and class and were all inclusive. Nobody was left out. The scene is chaotic and the feeling is that no one is safe. It’s impossible to tell who is on the offensive or defensive. The looks on everyone's faces are full of terror. The artist brought attention to this issue because it shouldn’t be normal to have people rioting and killing people. The young children are the victims. The nicely dressed people shown communicate to the viewer that racial violence and hatred don't discriminate against by class. As the blood is splattering all around, the viewer is reminded that we are all part of humanity, and all bleed red.
• Tombstones (1942) — Tombstones, 1942 Jacob Lawrence. Gouache on paper; Dimensions, 28 3/4 x 20 1/2 in (73 x 52.1 cm) Judgement- This seems like it could be a flat painting of a photograph. There is no indication of joy, but also no indication of suffering. It feels mundane. This is an example of humanity making the best of their meager lot in urban life. As the US had just entered WWII, and Pear Harbor having recently been attacked, there would have been even more reason to feel the stress of everyday life. The people shown are of various ages in the human lifespan, and this combined with the tombstones gives the viewer a feeling that death is a casually accepted aspect of reality. The black faces have no detail or depth, which alludes to their anonymity. This could be any neighborhood in Harlem in the 1940's.
• Into Bondage (1936) — 1936 Aaron Douglass. Oil on canvas, Dimensions: 60 3/8 x 60 1/2 in (153.4 x 153.7 cm) Judgement- This painting displays the anonymous people who were captured in Africa and then transported to America. They are resilient and hope for freedom from their captors, likely not understanding that things are about to get much worse. We cannot see the beginning of the line and the end of the line disappears into the horizon, and this implies that the line contains many people. The concentric circles that are present signify the sound of music, as singing was and continues to be a large part of African American culture. Many of the songs that they would sing reflect the hope and belief that someday they would be free.