African American Artistic Expression: 1920s to Present Day

In this teach-in organized by Brandeis students, campus community members and visitors to the Rose will have the opportunity to learn about the integral role that African American culture has played in shaping the American cultural landscape. At stations set up throughout the Rose Art Museum’s galleries, students will discuss ways that African Americans have used art to express themselves and establish a distinct identity, sharing the results of research on topics which include: the contributions of black artists in the Harlem Renaissance and the theories of philosopher Alain Locke; the work of Barbara Jones Hogu, a prominent artist during the civil rights era known for her association with the Black Arts Movement; the movies of Spike Lee and graffiti as a mode of communication within the Black community; the legacy of the Black Arts Movement, the politically charged identity of Black Art and the Black Aesthetic, and the present Post-Black Art moment; and the connection between blackness and heroism in the work of visual artist Kehinde Wiley.