African-American Art (Oxford History of Art)

From its origins in early eighteenth century slave communities to the end of the twentieth century, African-American art has made a vital contribution to the art of the United States. African-American Art provides a major reassessment of the subject, setting the art in the context of the African-American experience. Here, Patton discusses folk and decorative arts such as ceramics, furniture, and quilts alongside fine art, sculptures, paintings, and photography during the 1800s. She also examines the New Negro Movement of the 1920s, the era of Civil Rights and Black Nationalism during the 1960s and 70s, and the emergence of new black artists and theorists in the 1980s and 90s.

New evidence suggests different ways of looking at African-American art, confirming that it represents the culture and society from which it emerges. Here, Patton explores significant issues such as the relationship of art and politics, the influence of galleries and museums, the growth of black universities, critical theory, the impact of artists collectives, and the assortment of art practices since the 1960s. African-American Art shows that in its cultural diversity and synthesis of cultures it mirrors those in American society as a whole.

In the OXFORD HISTORY OF ART series, this book discusses folk and decorative arts alongside fine art produced by African-Americans throughout the nineteenth century. It also explores more recent issues in art and politics - the Civil Rights era and Black Nationalism in the 1960s and 70s and the emergence of new black artists in the 1980s and 90s.

From its origins in early 18th century slave communities to the end of the 20th century, African-American art has made a vital contribution to the art of the United States. This book provides a major reassessment of the subject, setting the art in the context of the African-American experience. 70 color illustrations. 5 linecuts.

Sharon Patton is Director of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies, and Associate Professor in History at the University of Michigan.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Colonial America and the Young Republic 1700-1820

Introduction

The fight for independence 1775-83

Africa, North America and African-American culture

Plantations

Architecture and the plantation layout

Slave houses

The revival of African culture on the plantations

Life on the plantations

New European-Ameriacn influences

A planter's house in Louisiana

Plantation slave artists and craftsmen

Textiles and patchwork quilts

Folk art

Pottery

Urban slave and free artists and craftsmen

Furniture

Silversmiths

Fine artists

Chapter 2: Nineteenth-Century America, the Civil War and Reconstruction

Introduction

The anti-slavery movement

Free black and slave artisans

Fine artists

Architecture, the decorative arts, and folk art

Urban and rural architecture

Furniture

Metalwork and woodcarving

Pottery

Quilts

Fine arts: Painting, sculpture, and graphic arts

Exhibitions and the viewing public

Abolitionist patronage

Graphic arts

Landscape painting

Neoclassical sculpture

Genre and biblical painting

Chapter 3: Twentieth-Century America and Modern Art 1900-60

Introduction

Civil rights and double-consciousness

The development of a modern American art

African-American culture, the New Negro and art in the 1920s

The Great Migration

The Jazz Age

Expatriates and Paris, the Negro Colony

The New Negro movement

Photography

The New Negro artist

Graphic art

Painting

The patronage of the New Negro artist

State funding and the rise of African-American art

The Federal Arts Project

The legacy of the New Negro movement

Négritude and figurative sculpture

Folk art

American Scene painting

African-American murals

WPA workshops and community art centres

Social realism

Abstract art and modernism in New York

Abstract figurative painting

Patronage and critical debate

American culture post World War II

Folk art

Painting: Expressionism and Surrealism

Abstract Expressionism and African-American art

Primitivism

Early Abstract Expressionism: Bearden, Woodruff, and Alston

Abstract Expressionism

Second generation of Abstract Expressionists 1955-61

Chapter 4: Twentieth-Century America: The Evolution of Black Aesthetci

Introduction

Civil rights and black nationalism

Cultural crisis: Black artist or American artist?

Spiral artists' group 1963-6

Painting

The evolution of a modern black aesthetic

Defining black art

Painting

Sculpture

Art institutions and artists' groups

Mainstream art institutions

Black art aesthetcis

Black art and black power

Black artsists' groups

Towards a new abstraction

Are you black enough?

Painting

Sculpture

The postmodern condition 1980-93

Painting

Video art

Sculpture

Photography

Conclusion

Notes

Llist of Illustrations

Bibliographic Essay

Timeline

Index

Introduction

Chapter 1: Colonial America and the Young Republic 1700-1820:

Introduction: The fight for independence 1775-83; Africa, North America, and African American Culture

Plantations: Architecture and the plantation layout; Slave houses

The revival of African culture on the plantations: Life on the plantations; New European-American influences

A Planter's house in Louisiana - Plantation slave artists and craftsmen: Textiles and patchwork quilts; Folk art; Pottery

Urban Slave Artists and Craftsmen: Furniture; Silversmiths; Fine artists

Chapter 2: Nineteenth-Century America, The Civil War and Reconstruction:

Introduction: The anti-slavery movement; Free black and slave artisans; Fine artists

Architecture, the decorative arts, and folk art: Urban and rural Architecture; Furniture; Metalwork and woodcarving; Pottery; Quilts

Fine arts: Painting, sculpture, and graphic arts: Exhibitions and the viewing public; Abolitionist patronage; Graphic arts; Landscape painting; Neoclassical sculpture; Genre and biblical painting

Chapter 3: Twentieth-Century America and Modern Art 1900-60:

Introduction: Civil rights and double-consciousness; The development of a modern American art

African-American culture, the New Negro and art in the 1920s: The Great Migration; The Jazz Age; Expatriates and Paris, the Negro colony; The New Negro movement; Photography; The New Negro artist; Graphic art; Painting

The patronage of the New Negro Artist

State Funding and the Rise of African-American Art: The Federal Arts Project; The legacy of the New Negro movement: Negritude and figurative sculpture; Folk art; American Scene painting; African-American murals; WPA Workshops and community art centres; Social realism; Abstract art and modernism in New York; Abstract figurative painting; Patronage and critical debate

American culture post World War II: Folk art; Painting: Expressionism and Surrealism

Abstract Expressionism and African-American Art: Primitivism; Early Abstract Expressionism: Bearden, Woodruff, and Alston; Abstract Expressionism; Second generation of Abstract Expressionists 1955-61

Chapter 4: Twentieth-Century America: The Evolution of a Black Aesthetic:

Introduction: Civil rights and black nationalism

Cultural crisis: Black artist or American artist: Spiral artist's group 1964-66; Painting

The evolution of a modern black aesthetic: Defining black art; Painting; Sculpture

Art institutions and the artists' groups: Mainstream art institutions; Black art aesthetics; Black art and black power; Black artists' groups

Towards a New Abstraction: Are you black enough?; Painting; Sculpture

The Postmodern condition 1980-93: Painting; Video art; Sculpture; Photography

Conclusion, Notes, List of Illustrations, Bibliographic Essay, Timeline, Index