Detroit Institute Of Arts Historical Survey Of African American Art

Thursday, 20 April 2006 11:51

Detroit, MI - At a Detroit gallery in 1978, Dr. Walter O. Evans made his first major art purchase, Jacob Lawrence’s noted John Brown series of prints. Just out of medical school, he acquired the prints after recognizing the distinct absence of African American art in the world’s major museums. Almost three decades later, his collection of more than 500 works by renowned African American artists such as Henry Ossawa Tanner, Romare Bearden and Elizabeth Catlett is regarded as one of the most important in the United States. The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) features 82 of these remarkable works in African American Art from the Walter O. Evans Collection until July 2. The comprehensive exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs from 1848 to 1997. “Dr. Walter Evans’ collection of African-American art is comprehensive in its historical and aesthetic range,” said DIA director Graham W. J. Beal. “Dr. Evans and his wife, Linda, are contributing greatly to the understanding of African American art through their willingness to share this premier collection with the rest of the world.” The exhibition is organized by themes designed to convey the evolution of African American art. Laying Claim These works shows the emergence of African American art into a world dominated by 19th-century European artistic values. African American artists generally avoided creating works that emphasized their race, focusing instead on subjects that dominated the art of their time: portraits, landscapes, literary themes, still lifes, and scenes of everyday life. Among the works in this gallery are rich landscapes and other scenes from nature by Edward Mitchell Bannister, Robert Scott Duncanson and Henry Ossawa Tanner. Exquisite marble sculptures by Mary Edmonia Lewis, based on the then-popular poem “The Song of Hiawatha” are also featured. An Awakening of a Black Consciousness in American Culture The Harlem Renaissance (1920-35) was a time of cultural revitalization during which African Americans embraced their culture and redefined their identity. For the first time, artists created portraits such as Aaron Douglas’ Boy with a Toy Plane and scenes from their daily lives that counteracted the racist imagery of the day. During the 1940s and 50s, African American artists continued to define the African American image in work that dealt with their history, culture and experiences. Not until the Civil Rights Era of the 1960s did African American artists begin to deal directly with issues of racism, poverty and political exclusion. Jacob Lawrence’s Wounded Man depicts a man clenching his hands, gazing upwards in torment with blood pouring from his chest. This painting is often seen as symbolic of the violence of the period. Prominent in this section are the works of Harlem Renaissance artists Aaron Douglas, Dox Thrash and William H. Johnson. Elizabeth Catlett’s 1946 bronze sculpture Pensive, depicts a woman with sleeves rolled up, deep in thought. It is one of the earliest instances of an African American woman portrayed by a female African American artist. Also on view is Romare Bearden’s 1960 mixed media work The Black Man in the Building of America, an homage to the black working class. Bearden’s figures have mask-like faces, expressing his idea that much of the country was built by the anonymous physical labor of African American men toward the creation of industrial America. Stories of Everyday Life In the mid- to late-1900s, African American artists turned to their culture and communities for inspiration, a departure from earlier works of landscapes and cityscapes. This gallery depicts the transition from serious or somber subjects to the diverse appearances and everyday customs of African Americans. Included are Girl Seated by Margaret Burroughs and The Bridge Party by Charles White, as well as works by Romare Bearden and Hughie Lee-Smith. Ritual and Spirituality in African American Culture Spirituality has always been a critical component of the African American experience. The art in this gallery was inspired by religious beliefs and rituals. Love, creation and death are the universal themes expressed by artists such as Aaron Douglas, Clementine Hunter and William H. Johnson. Jacob Lawrence’s Genesis Creation Sermon series, showing a charismatic preacher’s hold over a congregation, is also featured. Changing Perspectives: Abstraction as a New Form of Expressionism In the early 20th century, European artists were inspired by the geometric patterns, distorted figures and simplified forms in African art, and adopted these elements into their abstract art. When many of these artists moved to America during World War II, African American artists expanded on these elements, incorporating abstract shapes, forms and colors into their expressions of racial identity. Among works in this section are sculptures by Richard Hunt, Sargent Claude Johnson and Norman Lewis. Music as Muse This gallery features art that celebrates African American music, with works by contemporary artists Beauford Delaney and Fred Jones, who were inspired by jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Also included is Bearden’s collage The Piano Lesson, from which late American playwright August Wilson conceived his play “The Piano Lesson.” Walter O. Evans Evans began collecting in 1978, but says he consciously began building a collection in 1981. At first he only sought works by African Americans that contained African American subjects, but over time, the range has become more diverse, reflecting Evans’ growth as a collector. Throughout his life, Evans has invested in his culture and in humanity. He says, “I hope that in some small way my collecting will encourage others to do the same, and to recognize the importance of preserving our cultural heritage, providing a legacy for those who come after us.” Visit The Detroit Institute of Arts

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