Brother to Brother the movie

The movie Brother to Brother was based on true events that took place in the Harlem in the 1930’s through the 1940’s. The film goes back and forth between the 30’s and present, day New York. One of the main themes of this story is standing up for whom you are and not changing who you are to fit another persons or peoples personal views. At the beginning of the story we hear about how African Americans are changing who they are to fit the needs of their mainly white patrons who are coming into Harlem for the nightlife.

The most prominent scene where you see evidence of this accruing is when the main group in this story who wrote the magazine “FIRE”. The magazine was made to shed light on the people in their Harlem community that the rest of the black community found unfit to be seen or acknowledged in public. The main writers of FIRE were Thurman and Hurston, they found a publisher willing to print their magazine for them but he had some adjustments in mind.

The Publicist looked over their work and found it well written but he wants to change it a bit. He believes that the white community does not want to see Harlem as a thriving place of art and culture but rather a dark dirty crime and sex riddled hole in the wall. He wants the Nightlife to blown out of the water. Thurman and Hurston playing state no they will not be changing anything since that is not what Harlem is. They both get frustrated and madden by this request and leave saying they will find another way of getting it published. I believe that this was the right thing for the both of these young men to do at the time. They were trying to enlighten their fellow African American people rather then letting them stay ignorant because of an older and less tolerant and conservative generation of blacks. Instead of the publicist seeing this he wanted to change it to be better soot the white community.

A similar scene comes up later on in the film with the main character Perry at his friend’s art show where he has a few of his own on display. Perry’s friend who is running this art show introduces him to an art dealer whom he thinks could greatly help Perry. The art dealer says that Perry has great potential and with his help he will go big but he wants him to change his art just a bit. Instead of getting mad and walking out and saying no Perry just nods his head and walks away head down silently. It’s quite interesting to see how the different men react to almost identical situations. The one thing that really started to make me think was that through-out the movie Perry is always getting frustrated with people looking down on him because he’s gay and black. In other parts of the movie he gets quite upset but rather then getting mad at the art show he walks away almost half mad and the other half saddened.

In the end I believe that Hurston and Thurman behaved in the right manner but Perry did not. He is the artist and artists in my opinion should always have the say in their work not their dealers and sponsors.

Harlem Streets

Palmer Hayden was born in 1890 and died in 1970. Most of his art depicts myths, everyday life in Harlem and nightclubs. In every one of his pieces he shows an outstanding attention to detail. Most of his better-known pieces involve speakeasies and daily life in Harlem.

In the painting “ Harlem Streets” we get a small glimpse into Hayden’s view of a night on the Harlem streets. We see crowded buildings, guitar players, children and much more. I think this is Hayden’s way of trying to show what it was like for his people and how it differed from the whiter areas. However I don’t think this picture is showing what it was always like but rather what Harlem started to become near the end of the renaissance and into the 40’s.

This painting is a very interesting in the way it was constructed. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the center rather then the corners. I showed this painting to twenty people and twelve out of the twenty said when they saw this painting they felt sadness. I think this is a very inserting reaction to this painting since its original intention was to inspire a sense of understanding rather then sorrow.

Building More Stately Mansions

Aaron Douglas was born in Kansas in 1898, he taut art for several at the University of Nebraska until he decided to move to Harlem New York. Aaron Douglas is more notably known for his style of paintings. Most of his works depict African American men and woman more as shadows then fully depicted figures. He paints most of his depictions within dark background casting shadows in all corners of the painting. During his time in Harlem he spent most of his time painting banners and important posters for varies organizations.

In the painting titled “Building More Stately Mansions” We see six dark figures working in a quarry of some kind looking behind them in solemn remembrance. Over them we see shadowy reminders of great monuments of their peoples history and the great things they accomplished. Instead of the white people seeing this great achievements they only see slaves and farm workers and such I think this painting theme is “Desire to reconstruct the meaning of “negro”. This may not mean in the literal sense of changing the meaning of the word. Rather changing the meaning toward pre made assumptions that White individuals might make toward African Americans. To try and show these people as great thinkers, scholars, artist, and builders once more and still are.

After spending much time looking at this painting that he finished and took much pride in I feel as if I know where he was coming from in some small scene. His use of lines and shading is wonderful and how he uses them to paint maybe not a literal since but rather a glimpse into the past like a forgotten

Caged Bird

The Picture the “Caged Bird” is a Harlem Renaissance classic

Walter Henry Williams was a late bloomer in the Harlem Renaissance seen in 1937. Most of his work is set in very somber settings with numerous uses of Orange, Black, Green and brown. His most famous piece is shown here on the side “Caged Bird” All of his pieces tend to make people stop and really ponder what it is he was trying to get across.

In the Picture “Caged Bird” we see a small young black boy sitting in a field with a crown caged up and his mother shouting at him in the distance. This piece is trying to convey is “Anger at racism”. The bird is symbolizing the African American people being cages and not being able to be free. The bird he chose was a crow for the simplistic reason of its dark feathers. While a bird is in its cage it can’t fight back or fly free instead it just thrashed around and hurts itself. “Anger at racism is shown here because racism though now a physical thing is like a cage and is baring the African American people and like the bird they are angry and fighting to brake free to the calling other of equality.

The Picture itself is a very interesting because it shows the struggle of a whole community to me but in the most basic of ways. I believe that Williams is one of the most talented and lesser-known artists of his era.

The Saving

We know come to the a painting by William H. Johnson. He grew up in Florance and moves to Harlem in 1918. Growing up his main inspiration was Van Gogh. He died of medical complication in 1970.

The Saving one of William H. Johnson’s lesser-known Paintings depicts a baptism accruing in a river. It is also one of his most earliest painting and was made shortly before is fame became widely known. Like all of Johnson’s works it holds a strong use of color and depiction of pride and African American life turning this time. Johnson made over twenty-five painting and over hundred sketches that are on display in countless museums

In the painting we do see a baptism in session and this was a very common way of doing it in the African American communities during this time. It is depicting the strength they have in each other and the strength they have in their faith. “Strength in unity, unity through strength”. Out of the several themes that Johnson’s pictures portray this one particularly shows racial identification. The reason it shows racial identification is simple that with the bold use of white and blue in this peace he is making their skin color stand out.

William H. Johnson has a very interesting painting style witch in my opinion has a cookie cutter appearance. He tense to use bold colors to pull you in, combined with their simplistic drawing style, they make you think. They remind me of children’s storybook drawings but I think that’s what makes him such a great artist. It’s these simple forms and shapes that give his works such depth and meaning. With these simplicities they allows him to express bigger and more elaborate meanings.

The Library

Jacob Lawrence’s The Library

The library was a Harlem renaissance peace made well into the area when many influential artists were coming to light. When Mr. Lawrence’s was making his creating the Harlem Renaissance was coming to an end. Many them were depicted in numerous artist works through this time, but Mr. Lawrence was known for depicting the theme of Negro heritage and history.

In the painting the Library you see you and old African Americans going through books learning and discovering new and old things. This Library is a very typical sort of scenery that Mr. Lawrence would depict since he himself spend many hours of everyday in his early child who there. The Negro Heritage and history is shown through this piece by knowledge. They want to constantly learn more about their heritage and history so it will better teach them about them self’s and so nothing is lost for future generations.

The piece it’s self is of a very standard painting style for that era and area. Most Harlem artist true to for drew with a Vera and of bold colors that would catch the audience’s eye. Its interesting that if you take the time to cool at other Harlem Renaissance artist he uses a lot more geometric shapes and to for his people and environment.