The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identityby Elsa Honig Fine

Leonardo

The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity by Elsa Honig FineReview by: Romare H. BeardenLeonardo, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Winter, 1975), pp. 82-83Published by: The MIT PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1573208 .

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The question of The Future of Culture: the 'End' of 'Culture'? is raised in the title of the final section, which offers no clear answer. It starts with a detailed examination of contemporary drama, mostly European, in an essay called 'Culture, Property and the Theater' by Hans Mayer, who left a post in East Germany, following criticism by the Communist Party, to teach in Hanover.

At considerable length, Stefan Morawski, once professor of aesthetics at Warsaw University and now associated with the editor in developing a work on Marxist aesthetic thought, attempts to define 'What Is a Work of Art?' Referring largely to recent avant-garde developments in the plastic arts, he asserts that: 'Awareness of the pro- blematic aspect of all phenomena ... at the beginning of our century . . . cast every long-preserved world-view into doubt .... The anti-mimetic trend [of art] categorically [how about that, professor Kettle? L.R.] overthrew the principle, accepted by the European tradition since the Renaissance, that the existence of art was founded on the imitation of reality.' He proceeds from the Nabis and Matisse, Cezanne and the Cubists, to report favorably in detail on 'a world of imagination' created by their suc- cessors, 'which however did not lack references to reality, and was in no sense barren of all objectivity and spacious- ness'.

Baxandall contributes a concluding article on 'Spectacles and Scenarios: A Dramaturgy of Radical Activity', em- bodying his somewhat cryptic counsel for the future in two pseudonymous fabrications, one purporting satirically to be a speech by a public relations expert, called a 'Spectacle Manager', to a meeting of the Rand Cor- poration. The recommendations of the second, ending with endorsement of Fourier's 'cabalism' (which may be as unfamiliar to most readers as it is to this reviewer) as one of the 'best previsions of universalized scenarism', are too highly concentrated and depend on too many references to esoteric antecedents for judgment in a cursory examination.

A broad perspective is offered in this collection, which will agree and disagree with each reader's preconceived opinions but is bound to extend them in considerable degree. Some essays, however, will have little meaning for those who lack familiarity with relatively esoteric or parochial sources in foreign literature and worldwide radical ideology.

Constructivism in Poland, 1923-1936. Museum of Fine Arts, Lodz, Poland, 1973. 206 pp., illus. Paper. Reviewed by Alfred Werner*

Constructivism is often believed to be, and even des- scribed as, a predominantly Russian phenomenon. Yet, as the present book (an exhibition catalogue, with texts in English, Dutch and German, issued by the Museum Sztuki ('The Arts') at Lodz for shows in 1973 at the Museum Folkwang, Essen, and at the Rijksmuseum Kroeller Mueller, Otterlo) convincingly demonstrates, the Polish innovators did not lag behind Russian ones, such as Gabo, Lissitzky, Malevich, Pevsner and Tatlin, and, indeed, developed along parallel lines in the direction of nonfigurative art. Around 1920, Constructivism was 'in the air'. Some Polish artists broke with the prevailing bland imitation of Impressionism and Art Nouveau as early as 1913. The first constructivist exhibition occurred on Polish territory only a decade later, when seven artists, among them Henryk Stazewski and Wladyslaw Strzemin- ski, staged a group show that indicated a complete turn in aesthetics. The program of the group encouraged the use of new elements for construction, the employment of hitherto neglected materials, such as iron, glass and cement: 'There is nothing in a picture except what is there: direct interaction of plastic forms organized into a single






Constructivism is often believed to be, and even des- scribed as, a predominantly Russian phenomenon. Yet, as the present book (an exhibition catalogue, with texts in English, Dutch and German, issued by the Museum Sztuki ('The Arts') at Lodz for shows in 1973 at the Museum Folkwang, Essen, and at the Rijksmuseum Kroeller Mueller, Otterlo) convincingly demonstrates, the Polish innovators did not lag behind Russian ones, such as Gabo, Lissitzky, Malevich, Pevsner and Tatlin, and, indeed, developed along parallel lines in the direction of nonfigurative art. Around 1920, Constructivism was 'in the air'. Some Polish artists broke with the prevailing bland imitation of Impressionism and Art Nouveau as early as 1913. The first constructivist exhibition occurred on Polish territory only a decade later, when seven artists, among them Henryk Stazewski and Wladyslaw Strzemin- ski, staged a group show that indicated a complete turn in aesthetics. The program of the group encouraged the use of new elements for construction, the employment of hitherto neglected materials, such as iron, glass and cement: 'There is nothing in a picture except what is there: direct interaction of plastic forms organized into a single






Constructivism is often believed to be, and even des- scribed as, a predominantly Russian phenomenon. Yet, as the present book (an exhibition catalogue, with texts in English, Dutch and German, issued by the Museum Sztuki ('The Arts') at Lodz for shows in 1973 at the Museum Folkwang, Essen, and at the Rijksmuseum Kroeller Mueller, Otterlo) convincingly demonstrates, the Polish innovators did not lag behind Russian ones, such as Gabo, Lissitzky, Malevich, Pevsner and Tatlin, and, indeed, developed along parallel lines in the direction of nonfigurative art. Around 1920, Constructivism was 'in the air'. Some Polish artists broke with the prevailing bland imitation of Impressionism and Art Nouveau as early as 1913. The first constructivist exhibition occurred on Polish territory only a decade later, when seven artists, among them Henryk Stazewski and Wladyslaw Strzemin- ski, staged a group show that indicated a complete turn in aesthetics. The program of the group encouraged the use of new elements for construction, the employment of hitherto neglected materials, such as iron, glass and cement: 'There is nothing in a picture except what is there: direct interaction of plastic forms organized into a single whole', was the credo of the seven pioneers.

*'Pantheon', 230 West 54th St., New York, NY 10019, U.S.A.

whole', was the credo of the seven pioneers.


whole', was the credo of the seven pioneers.


This was one of the countless manifestos issued by unconventional artists in Poland during the 1920's and 1930's. Many of these statements by constructivists are reproduced in this catalogue, yet with a caution by one of the scholars who assembled the book against 'expecting any neat and consistent aesthetic theory'. With disarming frankness, Piotr Graff adds: 'Those people were practical artists and not sophisticated academic theory-mongers. Striving to evolve a system of what they believed to be a philosophy of art and life, they drew, sometimes awkwardly, from the most sundry and often incompatible sources, without always realizing the broader implications of the trends of European minds they pillaged for inspira- tion, without much care for terminological precision and, frequently, for stylistic or even grammatical correctness.'

As a matter of fact, the texts assembled here often sound too fragmented and fragmentary to be of any value except for a reproduction of the 'hot atmosphere' that blew through the artists' quarter in Warsaw, Lodz, Cracow, Lwow and other cities in the period between the two World Wars, when a number of artists fought there for their principles under a dictatorial regime hostile to everything anti-traditional. All difficulties notwithstanding, the twenty major artists, whose works were included in the Sztuki Museum shows, contributed much that is interesting in nonrepresentational painting and sculpture and also in typography, heliographic composition and architectural design. Judging by the illustrations, these artists often anticipated by 30 or more years developments in post- World War II art, such as hard-edge painting, Op art, and Minimal art.

The pathfinders presented in the shows-few of whom are still among the living-are given extended biographies that are especially welcome, since, with the exception of Strzeminski and his wife, Katarzyna Kobro, and Stazew- ski, Poland's Constructivists are not often mentioned in English language reference works (Henryk Berlewi, however, creator of 'Mechano-Faktur' compositions, inspired by the cult of the machine and the precision of geometrical forms, shortly before his death was included in the 'Respon- sive Eye' show of New York's Museum of Modern Art).

These 20 as well as their associates, followers and imitators, who are also mentioned in the text but were not included in the shows, seem to be related to Mondrian and De Stijl in Western Europe. Yet Mondrian and his group, in pursuit of their conception of the absolute, thought that they had completely renounced the world of appearances. This cannot be said of the Poles. As one of them, Stazewski, put it: 'Abstract art is not something severed from the outer world around us; however, it is no longer descriptive, but it uses pure plastic means. It is a plastic equivalent of nature.'

The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identity. Elsa Honig Fine. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York, London, 1973. 310 pp., illus. Paper $9.95, ?5.20. Reviewed by Romare H. Bearden**

Fine's book is a compilation of short biographical sketches that purport to trace the historical development of Afro- American artists but because of numerous errors of fact and over-simplified, even denigrating, conclusions that the author draws from the material, this book poorly serves those interested in this subject.

The text covers artists for whom the earliest records exist, such as G. W. Hobbs and Joshua Johnston, and also the few black artists of the 19th century, some from the early decades of this century and painters and sculptors of the mid-20th century. She ends her survey with these rather dubious classifications of contemporary artists: Main- stream Artists, The Black Art Movement and, finally, this amusing one, Blackstream Artists. There are serious







The text covers artists for whom the earliest records exist, such as G. W. Hobbs and Joshua Johnston, and also the few black artists of the 19th century, some from the early decades of this century and painters and sculptors of the mid-20th century. She ends her survey with these rather dubious classifications of contemporary artists: Main- stream Artists, The Black Art Movement and, finally, this amusing one, Blackstream Artists. There are serious







The text covers artists for whom the earliest records exist, such as G. W. Hobbs and Joshua Johnston, and also the few black artists of the 19th century, some from the early decades of this century and painters and sculptors of the mid-20th century. She ends her survey with these rather dubious classifications of contemporary artists: Main- stream Artists, The Black Art Movement and, finally, this amusing one, Blackstream Artists. There are serious omissions of important painters and sculptors of the 1920's, for example, Sargent Johnson, William H. Johnson

**357 Canal St., New York, NY 10013, U.S.A.

omissions of important painters and sculptors of the 1920's, for example, Sargent Johnson, William H. Johnson


omissions of important painters and sculptors of the 1920's, for example, Sargent Johnson, William H. Johnson


82 82 82 Books Books Books



Booi Booi

and Agusta Savage. It is unfortunate that some of her comments and classifications are so discreditable, because a book on this subject is needed, especially for courses in Afro-American art history.

Fine's errors and faulty perceptions damage the reputa- tions of some of the artists covered. Concerning an incident in the life of Edmonia Lewis, a 19th-century neo-classical sculptor, who apparently was the first Afro-American woman to become a professional artist, Fine writes as follows: 'Edmonia and her room mates had planned a sleigh ride with several male friends, and Edmonia adultered her friends' wine with "Spanish fly" the celebrated aphro- disiac.' The facts, however, do not justify this statement. Although Miss Lewis was brought to court accused of administering cantharides to two of her classmates, she was completely exonerated for lack of evidence. There- fore, Fine's statement is unwarranted. Regarding Edward Bannister, a mid-19th-century landscape painter, Fine writes: 'As far as is known, he painted no Blacks, nor was he ever identified with racial causes.' Might not the same be true for any number of painters primarly devoted to interpreting the open vistas of landscape? If these matters were of concern to the author, with research she might have found that, during the Civil War, Bannister and his wife were constantly involved in raising funds and otherwise assisting Black soldiers. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Bannister sewed the colors that were presented to the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first Black combat units. The Bannisters helped to found the Bannister Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Women in Providence, Rhode Island, where Bannister's portrait of his wife still hangs on a living room wall.

Throughout the book Fine must know whether Black artists are poor, middle-class, oppressed, involved in racial causes and other socio-political things that are for the most part extraneous to what is actually involved in the making of works of art. Yet in a long section of the book sum- marizing the development of modern art, she does not subject Picasso, Matisse, Dali and others to the same kind of false sociological analysis. Why should she involve Afro-American artists with standards not applicable to others ?

There are no excuses for some of her careless mistakes. In discussing the paintings of Julian Hudson, who was active as a portrait painter during the early 19th century, she identifies him as the only Black artist whose work has survived from that area and that period. Yet later, she reproduces a work by Eugene Warburg and another by his brother Daniel, who were both, as she herself clearly indicates, New Orleans artists of the early 19th century. On page 125, one of Hale Woodruff's murals depicting events of the mutiny on the slave ship Amistad is correctly titled 'The Return to Africa, 1842' but on the next page she states that this mural 'shows the scene before the return to Africa in 1842'. In discussing a painting of Horace Pippin, 'John Brown Going to His Hanging', the author claims that Pippin had been imbued with the saga of John Brown, since his mother, when she was a young slave girl, had witnessed the trial. Commonsense should have made it apparent that a young Virginia slave, or any other for that matter, would not have been allowed into the court- room when John Brown was put on trial. As I recall it, Pippin's grandmother had been in the crowd that watched John Brown being driven to the scaffold.

Fine confuses art history with social theories that are primarily racist to anyone who has a general knowledge of art. The following quote selected from a number of equally flagrant ones can only leave one speechless with exasperation: 'Ever since Edmonia Lewis, a Black sculptor matriculated at Oberlin College in 1859, the serious Black artist has followed the White man's course in seeking to develop his art.' In fact, most of the artists reviewed in this book-despite the indignities they have suffered from

and Agusta Savage. It is unfortunate that some of her comments and classifications are so discreditable, because a book on this subject is needed, especially for courses in Afro-American art history.

Fine's errors and faulty perceptions damage the reputa- tions of some of the artists covered. Concerning an incident in the life of Edmonia Lewis, a 19th-century neo-classical sculptor, who apparently was the first Afro-American woman to become a professional artist, Fine writes as follows: 'Edmonia and her room mates had planned a sleigh ride with several male friends, and Edmonia adultered her friends' wine with "Spanish fly" the celebrated aphro- disiac.' The facts, however, do not justify this statement. Although Miss Lewis was brought to court accused of administering cantharides to two of her classmates, she was completely exonerated for lack of evidence. There- fore, Fine's statement is unwarranted. Regarding Edward Bannister, a mid-19th-century landscape painter, Fine writes: 'As far as is known, he painted no Blacks, nor was he ever identified with racial causes.' Might not the same be true for any number of painters primarly devoted to interpreting the open vistas of landscape? If these matters were of concern to the author, with research she might have found that, during the Civil War, Bannister and his wife were constantly involved in raising funds and otherwise assisting Black soldiers. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Bannister sewed the colors that were presented to the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first Black combat units. The Bannisters helped to found the Bannister Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Women in Providence, Rhode Island, where Bannister's portrait of his wife still hangs on a living room wall.

Throughout the book Fine must know whether Black artists are poor, middle-class, oppressed, involved in racial causes and other socio-political things that are for the most part extraneous to what is actually involved in the making of works of art. Yet in a long section of the book sum- marizing the development of modern art, she does not subject Picasso, Matisse, Dali and others to the same kind of false sociological analysis. Why should she involve Afro-American artists with standards not applicable to others ?

There are no excuses for some of her careless mistakes. In discussing the paintings of Julian Hudson, who was active as a portrait painter during the early 19th century, she identifies him as the only Black artist whose work has survived from that area and that period. Yet later, she reproduces a work by Eugene Warburg and another by his brother Daniel, who were both, as she herself clearly indicates, New Orleans artists of the early 19th century. On page 125, one of Hale Woodruff's murals depicting events of the mutiny on the slave ship Amistad is correctly titled 'The Return to Africa, 1842' but on the next page she states that this mural 'shows the scene before the return to Africa in 1842'. In discussing a painting of Horace Pippin, 'John Brown Going to His Hanging', the author claims that Pippin had been imbued with the saga of John Brown, since his mother, when she was a young slave girl, had witnessed the trial. Commonsense should have made it apparent that a young Virginia slave, or any other for that matter, would not have been allowed into the court- room when John Brown was put on trial. As I recall it, Pippin's grandmother had been in the crowd that watched John Brown being driven to the scaffold.

Fine confuses art history with social theories that are primarily racist to anyone who has a general knowledge of art. The following quote selected from a number of equally flagrant ones can only leave one speechless with exasperation: 'Ever since Edmonia Lewis, a Black sculptor matriculated at Oberlin College in 1859, the serious Black artist has followed the White man's course in seeking to develop his art.' In fact, most of the artists reviewed in this book-despite the indignities they have suffered from being Blacks in a White society-have had training and experience similar to those of White artists. Educated in the predominantly White art schools at home, polished by travel abroad, most Black artists responded to the rapidly

being Blacks in a White society-have had training and experience similar to those of White artists. Educated in the predominantly White art schools at home, polished by travel abroad, most Black artists responded to the rapidly

ks 83

changing 19th- and 20th-century art movements as artists, not specifically as Black artists.

So, to anyone aware of the creative process, it is evident that Fine has completely subordinated the rich complexities of culture to the category of race.

The Art of Light and Color. Tom Douglas Jones. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1972. 119 pp., illus. $15.00. Reviewed by Richard I. Land*

This is a beautiful and clearly illustrated presentation of the concepts and instruments that have been a part of Jones's artistic life of exploring the use of colored light as an artistic medium. One might question the title, because there seems to be no agreement on what to call kinetic art using colored electric illumination for image production. I still like Wilfred's word 'lumia' but, whatever one calls it, there are many superb color plates in the book of the effects that can be produced. I especially admire Jones for having succeeded in convincing the publisher to produce the color pictures within a solid black surround.

For anyone interested in this art form, the book clearly explains the four principal instruments developed by the author. The honest and open approach to sharing his techniques is an example that should be less exceptional. His Colortron is primarily a teaching instrument designed to show additive mixing of light and the effect of colored illumination on observed color as well as the artistic possibilities using shadows. His Sculptachrome introduces a kinetic element to produce shadows while still using rather simple illumination techniques. The Chromaton elaborates the use of interesting shadow-producing forms with many controlled light sources that are flexibly mounted. The Celeston departs from simple shadow production to refractive effects that may be less accurately controlled than the forms in the other instruments but permits more interesting image production. If you want to know how to build any of these instruments and work with these effects, details are there in the book.

The design of instruments is put into context by intro- ductory chapters identifying the medium, covering some of its history and emphasizing additive color mixture. The final two chapters consider speculative topics on psycho- therapy and on the relationship of lumia kinetic art to music and sound. These chapters are less satisfying, perhaps because of the wide range of subjective approaches possible for each person considering the medium. The point of calling lumia an 'independent art' is not really clear. Certainly it becomes clear that it may go with music in various ways or not at all but, just as with dance, it seems more satisfying when performed in association with music. The historical section touches on many of the high points and offers nice color pictures of works by Wilfred, Stokes, Reibeck and Sidenius. A chapter devoted to 'This Psychedelic Age' adds only a few brief notes on novel techniques within a text that dwells more on social concerns. The final two chapters continue this subjective quality, with several comparison tables shown for sound and light analogies. Two pages at the end give many useful details as to where to obtain parts and materials.

The bibliography demonstrates a rather disappointing shortcoming of this otherwise fine book. For all the apparent comprehensiveness, there are some glaring omissions. None of Wilfred's publications is referenced. The Bauhaus activity and, particularly, the work of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy are ignored. Nicholas Sch6ffer goes un- mentioned. Perhaps most curious is the fact that no

ks 83

changing 19th- and 20th-century art movements as artists, not specifically as Black artists.

So, to anyone aware of the creative process, it is evident that Fine has completely subordinated the rich complexities of culture to the category of race.

The Art of Light and Color. Tom Douglas Jones. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1972. 119 pp., illus. $15.00. Reviewed by Richard I. Land*

This is a beautiful and clearly illustrated presentation of the concepts and instruments that have been a part of Jones's artistic life of exploring the use of colored light as an artistic medium. One might question the title, because there seems to be no agreement on what to call kinetic art using colored electric illumination for image production. I still like Wilfred's word 'lumia' but, whatever one calls it, there are many superb color plates in the book of the effects that can be produced. I especially admire Jones for having succeeded in convincing the publisher to produce the color pictures within a solid black surround.

For anyone interested in this art form, the book clearly explains the four principal instruments developed by the author. The honest and open approach to sharing his techniques is an example that should be less exceptional. His Colortron is primarily a teaching instrument designed to show additive mixing of light and the effect of colored illumination on observed color as well as the artistic possibilities using shadows. His Sculptachrome introduces a kinetic element to produce shadows while still using rather simple illumination techniques. The Chromaton elaborates the use of interesting shadow-producing forms with many controlled light sources that are flexibly mounted. The Celeston departs from simple shadow production to refractive effects that may be less accurately controlled than the forms in the other instruments but permits more interesting image production. If you want to know how to build any of these instruments and work with these effects, details are there in the book.

The design of instruments is put into context by intro- ductory chapters identifying the medium, covering some of its history and emphasizing additive color mixture. The final two chapters consider speculative topics on psycho- therapy and on the relationship of lumia kinetic art to music and sound. These chapters are less satisfying, perhaps because of the wide range of subjective approaches possible for each person considering the medium. The point of calling lumia an 'independent art' is not really clear. Certainly it becomes clear that it may go with music in various ways or not at all but, just as with dance, it seems more satisfying when performed in association with music. The historical section touches on many of the high points and offers nice color pictures of works by Wilfred, Stokes, Reibeck and Sidenius. A chapter devoted to 'This Psychedelic Age' adds only a few brief notes on novel techniques within a text that dwells more on social concerns. The final two chapters continue this subjective quality, with several comparison tables shown for sound and light analogies. Two pages at the end give many useful details as to where to obtain parts and materials.

The bibliography demonstrates a rather disappointing shortcoming of this otherwise fine book. For all the apparent comprehensiveness, there are some glaring omissions. None of Wilfred's publications is referenced. The Bauhaus activity and, particularly, the work of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy are ignored. Nicholas Sch6ffer goes un- mentioned. Perhaps most curious is the fact that no mention is made of the journal Leonardo in which many articles by workers in this medium have been published here during the past six years. This failing is more serious than the mistake in the color triangle for pigments on Plate IV where magenta and cyan got lost. In much of the text emphasis seems to be on color with less concern for

*10 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA 02178, U.S.A.

mention is made of the journal Leonardo in which many articles by workers in this medium have been published here during the past six years. This failing is more serious than the mistake in the color triangle for pigments on Plate IV where magenta and cyan got lost. In much of the text emphasis seems to be on color with less concern for

*10 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA 02178, U.S.A.



Documents

The Afro-American Artist: A Search for Identityby Elsa Honig Fine