Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library

The Soul of a nation reader, writings by and about Black American artists, 1960-1980, edited by Mark Godfrey and Allie Biswas

eng

Includes bibliographical references

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

The Soul of a nation reader

bibliography

1232148768

edited by Mark Godfrey and Allie Biswas

writings by and about Black American artists, 1960-1980

"A comprehensive compendium of artists and writers confronting questions of Black identity, activism and social responsibility in the age of Malcolm X and the Black Panthers, based on the landmark traveling exhibition. What is "Black art"? This question was posed and answered time and time again between 1960 and 1980 by artists, curators and critics deeply affected by this turbulent period of radical social and political upheaval in America. Rather than answering in one way, they argued for radically different ideas of what "Black art" meant. Across newspapers and magazines, catalogs, pamphlets, interviews, public talks and panel discussions, a lively debate emerged between artists and others to address profound questions of how Black artists should or should not deal with politics, about what audiences they should address and inspire, where they should try to exhibit, how their work should be curated, and whether there was or was not such a category as "Black art" in the first place. Conceived as a reader connected to the landmark exhibition Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, which shone a light on the vital contributions made by Black artists over two decades, this anthology collects over 200 texts from the artists, critics, curators and others who sought to shape and define the art of their time. Exhaustively researched and edited by exhibition curator Mark Godfrey, who provides the substantial introduction, and Allie Biswas, included are rare and out-of-print texts from artists and writers, as well as texts published for the first time ever." --, Provided by publisher

Foreword / Mark Godfrey and Allie Biswas -- Introduction / Mark Godfrey -- The reader. 1959. "Problems of the Negro Artist" / Marion Perkins -- 1964. "Black Nationalism and the Arts" / Clebert Ford -- 1965. (unsigned statement) / Spiral: First Group Showing (Works in Black and White) -- "The Black Revolution in Art: A Conversation with Joe Overstreet" / Lawrence [Larry] Neal -- 1966. "Why Spiral?" / Jeanne Siegel -- "The Art of Communication as a Creative Act," and "Signposts that Point the Way" (unsigned review) / Noah Purifoy -- 1967. "The Black Artist: Calling a Spade a Spade" / Ishmael Reed -- Black is a Color / Raymond Saunders -- "Black Heroes" / Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) -- "The Wall" ; Gwendolyn Brooks ; and "The Wall" / Don L. Lee -- (unsigned article in Ebony) / "Wall of Respect" -- "American People: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum" / Robert Newman -- 1968. "Two African-American Artists in an Interview with Jay Jacobs" / Jay Jacobs -- "The Black Arts Movement" / Larry Neal -- "Why New Perspectives in Black Art? / Evangeline J. Montgomery and untitled text, New Perspectives: Black Art / Paul Mills -- "Introduction," 30 Contemporary Black Artists / Earl Roger Mandle -- "Position Paper 1 on Revolutionary Art" / Emory Douglas -- "Un musee pour Harlem" / Edward Clark -- "Introduction," Romare Bearden: Paintings and Projections / Ralph Ellison -- "Reflections from Within-Without: The Black Artist," / Frederick Fiske and "The Black Murals of Boston" / Victoria Rosenwald -- "The Black Development of the Black Revolutionary Artist" / James T. Steward -- 1969. "The Black Artist in America: A Symposium" / Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, Tom Lloyd, William T. Williams, and Hale Woodruff -- (untitled statement) / Benny Andrews and Cliff Joseph for the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC) -- "Preface" / Roy Wilkins and "1969: Twelve Afro-American Artists in Perspective," / Carroll Greene -- "Discussion on Black Art," "Discussion on Black Art--II," and "Black Art III" / Frank Bowling -- "The Black Artist, the Black Community, the White Art World" / James R. Mellow -- untitled text, 12 Black Artists from Boston / Dana Chandler Jr. -- "Any Day Now: Black Art and Black Liberation" / Larry Neal -- "The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity" / Elsa Honig Fine -- "The Black Aesthetic" / Ameer [Amiri] Baraka -- (unsigned text) / Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Eyes -- "Foreword" / Edward K. Taylor and untitled statement, New Black Artists / Joe Overstreet -- "Introduction" / Lawrence Alloway and Sam Hunter ; "Notes from a Work in Progress" / Frank Bowling ; untitled statement, 5+1 / William T. Williams, Jack Whitten, Melvin Edwards, Al Loving, Daniel LaRue Johnson, and Frank Bowling -- "Joe Overstreet" / Frank Bowling -- "Introduction" / Samella S. Lewis ; "Introduction" / Ruth G. Waddy ; untitled statements, Black Artists on Art / Gary Rickson, David Hammons, John Outterbridge, Betye Saar, Dana Chandler, Cliff Joseph, Marie Johnson, David Bradford, David Driskell, Phillip Mason, Samella Lewis, and Robert Sengstacke -- letter soliciting members / Claude Booker for the Black Arts Council (BAC) ; "Art and Soul" and untitled statement, Wanted Poster Series / Charles White -- untitled statement, Al Loving / Al Loving -- 1970. "America Black: Faith Ringgold at Spectrum" / Robert Newman -- "Contemporary Black Art" / Debbie Butterfield and "Epilogue," Dimensions of Black / Samella Lewisuntitled statement / Melvin Edwards and "William T. on M.E.", Melvin Edwards: Works / William T. Williams -- "Roy DeCarava: Thru Black Eyes" / A. D. Coleman -- (unsigned article in Time) / "Object: Diversity" -- "Critique to Black Artists" / Walter Jones -- "Perspective: The Black Artist in America," and "Black Art: What Is It? (questionnaire) / Carroll Greene --"Introduction" / Dore Ashton and "Smokehouse," Using Walls (Outdoors) / Smokehouse Associates -- (unsigned statement) / AFRICOBRA 1: Ten in Search of a Nation -- "The Black Emergency Cultural Coalition" / Benny Andrews -- "Introduction," Afro-American Artists: New York and Boston / Edmund B. Gaither ; "Black Artists' Show on View in Boston," / Hilton Kramer ; "Trying to Define 'Black Art': Must We Go Back to Social Realism?" and "'Black Art' and Expedient Politics" / Hilton Kramer ; "On Understanding Black Art" / Benny Andrews ; "What is Black Art?" / Douglas Davis ; and "Black Creativity in Quest of an Audience" / Henri Ghent -- "To Make a Painter Black" / Margaret G. Burroughs -- "The Role of the Artist in the Freedom Struggle" / Bayard Rustin and "The Artist Responds" / Jacob Lawrence -- "Sam Gilliam: Certain Attitudes" / LeGrace G. Benson -- "Black Art in America" / Barbara Rose -- "Los Angeles" (interview with David Hammons) / Joseph E. Young -- "AFRICOBRA 1: 10 in Search of a Nation" / Jeff Donaldson -- 1971. "Introduction" / Robert H. Glauber ; untitled statements, Black American Artists/1971 / Ralph Arnold, Sam Gilliam and Joseph B. Ross Jr. -- Three Graphic Artists: Charles White, David Hammons, Timothy Washington / Joseph E. Young -- "Preface" / Edward Spriggs ; "Introduction, Black Dimension in Contemporary American Art / David Driskell -- "Larry Ocean Swims the Nile, Mississippi and Other Rivers" / Charles Childs -- "The Artists' Statement / Eugene Eda, Mark Rogovin, William Walker, and John Weber ; and untitled statement, Murals for the People / William Walker -- Black Experience / Keith Morrison -- "Romare Bearden; The Prevalence of Ritual" / Carroll Greene -- "Statement by the Artist," Niggers Ain't Gonna Never Ever Be Nothin'--All They Want to Do Is Drink and Fuck / Noah Purifoy -- "It's Not Enough to Say "Black is Beautiful" / Frank Bowling -- "Introduction," Contemporary Black Artists in America / Robert Doty ; untitled statement / Black Emergency Cultural Coalition (BECC) ; untitled introduction, and unsigned foreword, Rebuttal to the Whitney Museum Exhibition: Black Artists in Rebuttal / Nigel Jackson ; and "Political Communications" (letter to Artforum) / John Dowell, Sam Gilliam, Daniel Johnson, Joe Overstreet, Melvin Edwards, Richard Hunt, and William T. Williams -- Notes on Black Art" / Melvin Edwards -- "Introduction" / Tom Lloyd ; "White Critic-Black Art???" / Melvin Dixon ; "Black Art--White Cultural Institutions" / Tom Lloyd ; "Counter Statement to Whitney Ritz Bros" / Imamu Amiri Baraka ; "The Role We Want for Black Art" / Jeff Donaldson ; "White Art Historians--Black Art" / Bing Davis ; "Rebuttal to the Whitney Museum's Introduction" / Ray Elkins ; "The Black Artist--His Role in the Struggle" / Francis and Val Gray Ward ; and "The Re-defining of Black Art", Black Art Notes / Babatunde Folayemi -- "Notes to the Young Black Artist: Revolution or Evolutions?" / Henri Ghent -- "Introduction" / Steve Cannon and "Conversation with Peter Bradley, Curator of The De Luxe Show," The De Luxe Show -- "Black Art: The Black Experience" / Steve Smith -- "An Intermediarily Pro/Position," / Edward Spriggs ; and "Ten in Search of a Nation--Exhibition Review," AFRICOBRA II / Cherilyn C. Wright -- "Foreword" / Samella S. Lewis ; "Foreword" / Ruth G. Waddy ; "Introduction" / Samella S. Lewis ; and untitled statements, Black Artists on Art, Volume 2 / Benny Andrews, Nelson Stevens, Noah Purifoy, Cleveland Bellow and Elizabeth Catlett -- "Preface," Seventeen Black Artists / Elton C. Fax -- "The ABA Idea" / Edmund B. Gaither ; "Notes on Art and Liberation" / Abdul Hakim Ibn Alkalimat ; "Meeting the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition / JoAnn Whatley ; "Visual art and Black Aesthetics" / Edmund B. Gaither -- untitled interview with Frank Bowling, Frank Bowling / Robert Doty -- "Commentary," Elizabeth Catlett: Prints and Sculpture / Jeff Donaldson -- 1972. Unsigned introduction ; "Art for the People" / Noah Purifoy ; untitled statements, Eleven from California / Gloria Bohanon, David Bradford, Dan Concholar, Alonzo Davis, Dale Davis, Marion Epting, David Hammons, Marie Johnson, John Outterbridge, Noah Purifoy, and Timothy Washington -- Los Angeles 1972: A Panorama of Black Artists / Carroll Greene Jr. and "County Museum Showing Work by Local Blacks" / William Wilson -- untitled statements, Alma W. Thomas / Alma W. Thomas -- "Introduction," Joe Overstreet / David Henderson"Where We At' Black Women Artists" / Kay Brown --"A Rap on Photography" / Tony Eaton, Lou Draper, Beuford Smith, Ray Gibson, and Fred Beauford -- "Roy DeCarava: Master Photographer" / Ray Gibson -- "The Kamoinge Workshop" / Louis Draper -- CAPS GRANT--SCULPTURE: Statement on Work" / Sue Irons -- 1973. "A Message to the Could Be Political Artists of the World from Faith Ringgold" / Faith Ringgold -- "Search for a Black Aesthetic" / Edward Spriggs -- "The History, Philosophy and Aesthetics of AFRICOBRA," Barbara Jones-Hogu ; untitled statements, AFRI-COBRA III / Carolyn Lawrence, Jae Jarrell, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Frank Smith, Gerald Williams, Wadsworth Jarrell, Howard Mallory, Napoleon Henderson, and Nelson Stevens -- "Kay Brown: An Artist and Activist" / Diane Weathers -- "Black Mirror" / Betye Saar ; "Reflections on Black Mirror, March 31-April 22" / Claudia Chapline ; "Introduction" / Samella Lewis and untitled text, Betye Saar: Selected Works, 1964-1973 / Josine Ianco-Starrels -- "Black Artists/White Critics" / Benny Andrews, John Coplans, Dana Chandler, Ademola Olugebefola, Howardena Pindell, and Wee Kim -- "Foreword" / Toni Morrison and "Introduction," The Black Photographers Annual 1973 / Clayton Riley -- 1974. "Jacob Lawrence" / Milton W. Brown -- "From an Interview with David Shapiro, April 1974" / Jack Whitten -- "Norman Lewis: Interview, August 29, 1974" / Vivian Browne -- "Introduction," David Hammons: Selected Works, 1968-1974 / Linda G. Bryant -- "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic--Opponent" / Martin Kilson and "A Debate: The Black Aesthetic--Defender" / Addison Gayle -- "The Black Art Institution" / Randy Williams -- 1975. "Just Above Midtown Gallery" / Mimi Poser and Linda Goode Bryant, and David Hammons -- "Allan M. Gordon Interviews Himself: The Phenomenology of a Black Aesthetic; Introductory Remarks" / Allan M. Gordon -- "Jemimas, Mysticism, and Mojos: The Art of Betye Saar" / Benny Andrews -- "Greasy Bags and Barbecue Bones" / Linda Goode Bryant -- "The Role of the Black Artist" / Elizabeth Catlett -- "Where the Flesh Ends and the Spirit Begins" / Burton Wasserman -- "Conversation with Betye Saar" / Cindy Nemser -- "The Importance of Art Patronage" / Earl G. Graves -- 1976. "Evolution of the Black Aesthetic: 1920-1950" / David C. Driskell -- "Editorial Statement," Black Art: An International Quarterly / Samella Lewis and Val Spaulding -- "Juju," Recent Works by Houston E. Conwill: Juju / Betye Saar -- 1977. "Statement on Nylon Mesh Works, 1977" / Senga Nengudi -- "A JAM Session on Madison Avenue" / Benny Andrews -- untitled statements, Studio Z: Individual Collective and other performances and events / Studio Z -- 1978. "Is Black Art for Real?" / Yvonne Parks Catchings -- Contextures / Linda Goode Bryant and Marcy S. Philips -- "Black Artists: Up against the Wall" / April Kingsley -- "The Big Bash," "New York's 21 Club, and "Black Artists vs. the Black Media" / Benny Andrews -- "Third World Women Speak" / Lowery Stokes Sims -- 1979. "Reflections on Harlem U.S.A." / Dawoud Bey -- "Perspectives/Commentaries on Africobra" / Larry Neal -- 1980. "Afro-American Abstraction" / April Kingsley -- "Charles White Was a Drawer" / Benny Andrews ; and "We Got the Message and Are Grateful" / M. J. Hewitt -- 1981. "Performance Statement #1: Thoughts about Myself, When Seen as a Political Performance Artist" / Lorraine O'Grady (as told to Lucy Lippard) -- 1982. "David Hammons: Purely an Artist" / Dawoud Bey -- "Some Do's and Don'ts for Black Women Artists" / Emma Amos -- 1984. "Conversations with Martin Puryear" / Hugh M. Davies and Helaine Posner -- untitled statements, Since the Harlem Renaissance: 50 Years of Afro-American Art / Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam, Al Loving, Faith Ringgold, Jack Whitten, and William T. Williams -- Afterword / Zoe Whitley

Writings by and about Black American artists, 1960-1980