A Harlem Speakeasy

blog.jongraynewyork.com

         I really liked this painting from the moment I saw it because of how different it was from all the other artwork I had looked at. I found the same painting in color but because it was in black and white, it stood out. The painting was able to bring out certain things that color often hides and had a very different feel than the usual bright colored paintings.  At first I had thought it was just a fun painting of a man and a women dancing in a club, but as I studied it more I picked up on images and ideas the artist was trying to portray to the audience.

          In most speakeasy's during the 1920's, African Americans served and waited on whites, but in this painting it is the black men and women who are enjoying themselves. They dance and drink and seem to float throughout the painting in a confusing contorted way. Their bodies almost seem disconnected to everything around them, and the landscape of the image looks as though it were spinning.

         Throughout this painting, various HR themes are evident but the one that sticks out the most to me is racism. Even though they appear to be having fun; if you look closer and study the painting you notice the faces. Both the man and the woman have large lighter colored lips drawn on their faces. Also in the background, the image of the racist comedians who imitated blacks is shown. The black paint and abnormally large lips was a way to make fun of African Americans during that time period. This "idea" or "image" of blacks is offensive but was constantly seen in cartoons, comics, comedy clubs and all over television. Often white people painted their faces black, drew large lips and danced around acting stupid and making fun of African Americans. The artist of the painting was conveying to the audience that, yes things are changing during the Harlem Renaissance, but blacks are still seen as inferior and made fun of as a joke. This painting might have been a wake up call for our society to not be fooled by the fun and games of the renaissance. They needed to keep fighting for equal rights because underneath it all, there was still the racism, oppression, and discrimination.

        

Signature - The Harlem Renaissance

        I chose this video/rap because it was a great example of Harlem Renaissance history, but it was also fun to listen to. The rhythm and beat of the song make the listener feel as if they are listening to an actual rap and not a history lesson. The lyrics touched everything we've learned in class and were completely accurate. Dates were mentioned, background information was stated and many black musicians were named. Nick, the artist, who goes by "Signature" mentions how the Harlem Renaissance effected the lives of black communities. He talks about musicians and artists finally having a voice and people wanting to listen to them. "It still led the way for many black poets and artists who continue to guide people through common hardships." He stated the facts in way that was simple, easily understood, and drew the listener in.
         The Harlem renaissance themes in this song mostly revolve around negro history and heritage. Signature refers to a time period in American History that effected African Americans specifically. The song informs us about a turning point, where things started to change for blacks. "Before the Harlem Renaissance it was war and evil, racism and discrimination of all colored people." In the 1920's things started to change; barriers were broken, people were standing up for their rights and Blacks had more rights. This rap is a collaboration of facts and information about the Harlem renaissance, that informed us about a time period where things were starting to look up. Like the 1920's, Signature addresses the listener calmly without anger, demonstrating the feel of a new beginning for African Americans in our society.

The Black Allure

The black allure  photographed by Emma Summerton and styled by Edward Enninful and features models Ajak Deng, Arlenis Sosa Peña, Chanel Iman, Georgie Baddiel, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Kinee Diouf, Lais Ribeiro, Melodie Monrose, Mia Aminata Niaria, Rose Cordero and Sessilee Lopez. The black bombshells evoke the essence of the 1920′s/Harlem Renaissance era with finger waves, turbans, and cigarette holders and wearing dresses from Louis Vuitton, Donna Karan and Versace. Vogue Italia February 2011.

http://www.beautyisdiverse.com/2011/02/the-black-allure-vogue-italia-february-2011/

             This Picture caught my eye because of the contrast of colors, light, and and composition. I love how the photographer embodied the essence of Harlem Renaissance Fashion but made it modern at the same time. Though it's a picture from a magazine, Summerton and Enninful made it look authentic with their use of creative style and obvious knowledge of the Harlem Renaissance.

             From looking at previous examples of Harlem fashion, I knew that this picture wasn't the most accurate example but I liked that there was a balance of old and new. If this was an accurate portrayal of Harlem fashion, the cleavage wouldn't be shown as much, the make up would be a slightly be more subtle, and they wouldn't be smoking in public. During the Harlem Renaissance, the black community was fighting for equal rights and to be seen as equals in our society. In order to make a good impression, women dressed very fashionably, covered themselves appropriately, and never smoked in public.  However, the use of turbans and flapper inspired dresses gave the photo a veritable quality of the Harlem Renaissance and made the photo look more realistic. 

            The Black Allure photo is an example of Pride in during the Harlem Renaissance. The women in this photo look very confident and proud. They lounge around on furniture, carefree and fearless. The inspiration behind this image came from the women during the Harlem Renaissance. They experienced so much discrimination and racism yet carried themselves with pride and dignity. The artists behind this photo were inspired by the strength of those Black women, and were able to incorporate the essence and authenticity of the Harlem Renaissance into their image.
  The link below is an example of the traditional Harlem renaissance fashion.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/images/public/jazznotes/WomenHarlemRen_HarlemFlappers.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.riverwalkjazz.org/html/eng/public/795.shtml&usg=__QYH_is5HkErEO6VjgE7_DJkbEYU=&h=434&w=300&sz=174&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=Tu2Im8nVn4qRKM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=101&ei=hYRlTdS-JYvUtQPDl8zfBA&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHArlem%2Bflapper%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26biw%3D994%26bih%3D573%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=723&oei=hYRlTdS-JYvUtQPDl8zfBA&page=1&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=83&ty=25