The Leading Voice for the Black Arts Community.
What is the future of “AA / Black art” in America?
Is AA / Black art progressing or is it stuck in the past? Is there a “Brave New Frontier” awaiting AA / Black art? Or is AA / Black art dying?
Aaron Douglas, the quintessential artist of the Harlem Renaissance, brilliantly connected AA / Black life in America with African antiquity. Going forward, AA / Artists visually celebrated AA / Black life and history. In the 60’s & 70’s, AA / Black artists expanded the trans-African dialogue and redefined AA / Black aesthetics. The commercial market for AA / Black art increased in the 80’s & 90’s and was copiously supplied with black imagery. Quantity and the familiar seemed to supersede quality and progression. The “Post Black” art concept which surfaced in the late 90’s was an attempt at AA/ Black art progression, but more for AA / Black artists than for AA/ Black art. Today, we are witnessing the demise of AA / Black art selling venues such as the annual NBFA in NYC, Embrace in Atlanta and possibly Swann’s AA / Black art auctions.
Please forgive me if I oversimplified the last 90 years of AA/ Black art, but my initial questions remain. Thanks in advance for your comments.
Aaron Douglas, the quintessential artist of the Harlem Renaissance, brilliantly connected AA / Black life in America with African antiquity. Going forward, AA / Artists visually celebrated AA / Black life and history. In the 60’s & 70’s, AA / Black artists expanded the trans-African dialogue and redefined AA / Black aesthetics. The commercial market for AA / Black art increased in the 80’s & 90’s and was copiously supplied with black imagery. Quantity and the familiar seemed to supersede quality and progression. The “Post Black” art concept which surfaced in the late 90’s was an attempt at AA/ Black art progression, but more for AA / Black artists than for AA/ Black art. Today, we are witnessing the demise of AA / Black art selling venues such as the annual NBFA in NYC, Embrace in Atlanta and possibly Swann’s AA / Black art auctions.
Please forgive me if I oversimplified the last 90 years of AA/ Black art, but my initial questions remain. Thanks in advance for your comments.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clark D Baker III on -
Brother Michael, (as you know) this is a DEEP subject; the mere definition of AA/black art arouses multple responses. Are we seperating the artist from the art? As has been discussed before, "can an AA/Black artist create non AA/black art??" Will there be a semblance of a widely aknowledged Black Arts Movement in a "Post Black" society now that certain artists are accepted in Majority art circles?? What is the price that we pay as a AA culture for this inclusion??
This is a CRITICAL subject....and I know that I have given more questions than answers. I will leave with this......I see the AA/black art world in the same manner as I see Harlem/Bronzeville/Beale Street, etc etc etc. when undergoing transition (integration). Hopefully I am wrong.
"deuces"
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on -
Brother Clark,
Thank you for your comments. This is not an easy topic to address. Over the past 4 decades, the AA / Black art market has experienced tremendous growth and market stratification. There is now room for artists like Kerry James Marshall and Charles Bibbs as well as emerging AA / Black artists who create and sell art whenever possible. Unfortunately, it is still the mainstream art community who serve as the arbiters of artistic relevancy and value.
Today, the mainstream art community seems interested in acknowledging the early pioneers of AA / Black art as well as younger artists like Kerry James Marshall, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley and Julie Mehretu. Obviously, there are many AA / Black artists serving their respective markets who will never garner the attention of the mainstream art community for various reasons, which is ok. However, there must be a concerted effort to encourage and promote emerging AA / Black artist who could be as impactful as Douglas, Lewis, Lawrence, Catlett, Bearden and Ringgold to name a few. The mission for these artists was clear. Unfortunately, I think our AA / Black emerging artists with this sort of potential are being sidetracked by unresolved issues relating to race and representation in American society and confused by today’s “post racial” correctness. I am hoping that my well intentioned (but possibly boring and irritating) questions might help us to move beyond these issues. When we do, there will be no more need for questions like ”What is AA / Black art” and “Who can produce it?”
Peace!!!
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Permalink Reply by Hampton R. Olfus, Jr. on
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Brother Brinson your questions are right on point, and should be considered. Yes the AA artist you mentioned had a mission, that was based on a reaction to a society that had excluded them as artist. The AfriCOBRA movement 1960-70's and the GABA movement ( a phrase invented by artist Januwa Moja) 1980-90's, created a world stage for AA art. The reactionary labels placed on AA artist, because of exclusion, Black Art and Black Artist, are labels meant to exclude. AA artist should not have to identify, their art by a racial catagory, we know who we are in the human family. Africans don't label their art Black Art, so why should we? I should be able to invent freely, works of art without the thought of a racial label being over my head. Black Art is a label, anyone can produce Black Art for profit. I'm positive many artist out there who aren't AA, have produce Black Art images for profit. Does that make those non-AA artist work Black Art?
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on
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Brother Hampton,
Thank you for your comments. Could you please elaborate on the GABA movement? I am not familiar with this? Admittedly, I have not yet figured out how African art and culture fits with the present course of AA / Black art and culture. And how would you describe AA / Black art without using “AA” or “Black?” Peace!!!
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Brother Michael GABA stands for The Golden Age of Black Art. AA / Black art is a branch from Africa, transplanted in the western hemisphere. We use the title or label AA / Black art, to associate ourselves to Africa, meanwhile our culture is western overall. We are in a unique position at this time, to implement and define our visual art direction, for all times. How would I describe AA/ Black art without using "AA" or "Black?" My answer to this question would be, by the work, style and techniques the artist use to communicate with me. And if I attend the artist's reception, or do research on the artist, I will know the racial label they have been tagged with since birth. LOL
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on
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Brother Hamp, you got to school me on this one. Why is the 1980-90s considered the Golden Age of Black Art? Also, are you saying we have reached the point in American society where describing art as AA or Black is unnecessary? If so, does this apply to people as well? Peace!!!
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Well my Brother, the title Golden Age of Black Art was used by artist Januwa Moja Nelson, to describe a period of time when, galleries, print distributers, and art promoters, began to expose our culture through images to the general population. Before this time period, AA artist, works did not get that type of exposure. From 1985 to 95, AA artist works, could be seen in the mass media as well. One artist was choosen as a national represenative of our culture through the visual arts during the 70's, Ernie Barnes. We need to describe ourselves, or identify ourselves, to obtain the approval of whom? We know who we are, and those who see us have an idea of who we are when they see us, which is mostly a generalization. The point I'm making is that, we need to move on past the issue of race, a term created to seperate people, for the gain of power. AA people most not get side tracked by issues such as race, which is removed from the table for discussion, by those that used race too empower themselves . We can and must, move forward in this society, obtain, apply and control economic and most important, education. El Hajj Malik El Shabazz aka Malcom X, took his new knowledge which he obtained via his Hajj to Mecca, and applied it to help all people, realize we are one. "Free your mind and your ass will follow. The kingdom of heaven is within." a quote from George Clinton and the Bible. We hold the chains, locks and keys to our minds. Think about it, we can call ourselves anything we want. To prove this point, our younger generation has taken a word, "nigger" a word my generation hated, and flipped it. All the labels, and even the tonque we speech has been, tweeked and changed by people. We should let our works define us, as artist and people. Peace.
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on
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Brother Hamp, thanks for your comments. There were many excellent points to digest, but I would like to only comment on a few of them.
GABA: Do you think this period was good or bad for AA/ Black art? I think this was a good period in terms of demand for AA / Black art. The market for these works grew and became multi-layered. Unfortunately, as ambitious individuals (some non-AA / Black) moved to service this market, lots of junk was created and presented as AA/ Black fine art.
The Issue of Race: You made a great point about the concept of race in general. It echoes what my Father-in-Law often states, “There is only one race, the HUMAN RACE!” Unfortunately, removing the racial labels of “Black” “White””Red” and “Yellow” does not speak to the issue of cultural ethnicity or man’s propensity toward typology. Groups of people will always be different on some level, and we should be able to communicate this without it being exploited. AA / Black is not my race but it is my culture, therefore AA/ Black art should be reflective on my culture. Maybe we can remove the divisiveness of the label without scrapping the label. This might be difficulty as I am sure many of us would like to see the N-word disappear forever. Good point though.
Regarding the future of AA / Black art: I think we will always need to label AA / Black art. It may be as simple as “American Art of the African Diaspora.” Unfortunately, a label for AA/ Black art is critical for its definition, visibility and marketability. What is most critical is the need for a definition.
Thanks again for your comments. Peace!!!
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on
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Brother Clark, upon further reveiw of your comments, perhaps "integration" of AA / Black art would not be a bad thing; one sided assimulation would be a problem!!! Peace!!
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Permalink Reply by LaMar Barber on -
Peace,
As long as there are artist creating, art will not die... The only thing that has died is the nostalgia of being a starving artist.
Young Black Artist, in my opinion, like every other artist are trying to be that quintessential artist of their time. Every artist want to be "that artist" that changed the art world. Because those are the artist whose artwork is worth the most.
Pollock, Picasso, Warhol
It seems, there isn't a unified front against anything or for anything. Money is the art movement these days, because money is what moves us. Artist have old ideas: angels, crying christs, praying hands, dinner tables, people dancing, etc because it is what sells.
Artist don't want to "waste" their talent and collectors don't want to "waste" their money.
The consequence is that our visual vocabulary of expression suffers.
The hope is that historians would look back for artist who created for purpose, and not necessarily for livelihood.
Then, and there, you will find you neo- Douglas, neo- Catletts, and Neo-Ringgolds....
Because those are the artist who are creating against popular thought, and possibly for something bigger than themselves.
Peace
Barber
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Permalink Reply by Michael D. Brinson on
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Brother Lamar, thank for your very insightful comments. They are all on point. “Getting paid” has increased in importance among AA / Black artists. This is normal. But is there really money in promoting old ideas and familiar imagery in AA/ Black art? I don’t know, but I am not against AA / Black artists participating in markets where there is a demand for these works. My concern is with key markets and institutions where AA / Black art can have a national or international impact. Here is where we, AA / Blacks, should have a voice in validating what reaches this level. Peace!!!
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Permalink Reply by LaMar Barber on
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Peace Y'all,
Michael,
We are in agreement, old ideas and imagery had its place. And I would not consider its imagery the definition of Black Art simply due to its "Black/AA" theme.
Are we buying young Artists' work who don't simply repaint paintings/ "recreate the wheel"?
Or are we simply changing hands with quintessential artwork of old?
How do we validate an artist?
It seems we wait for an artist to be validated before we look to them for inspiration or purchase.
I must admit, these previous questions started as rhetorical, but since I don't have the answers I'm hoping they can become dialectic.
Peace,
Barber
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