Romare Bearden Diana Harden P. 1-B & “The Piano Lesson”

Bearden’s Life Born September 2, 1911 in Charlotte, N.C. Grew up in a middle-class African-American home. Graduated from NYU with a degree in education and with substantial art credits. Was a cartoonist for the Baltimore Afro-American 1935-1937. Joined the Harlem Artists Guild and began what became a lifelong study of art. Worked as a social worker in the 1930s-1960s, spending nights and weekends working on his art. In 1940 he had his first solo exhibition in Harlem and, in 1944, his first solo show in Washington, DC. His works continued to be shown throughout the U.S. and Europe. He married Nanette Rohan in 1954 and spent the rest of his life with her. In addition to being a prominent visual artist, Bearden was also a writer and spokesman on artistic and social issues. He helped establish many arts organizations and programs for young minority artists. He was well awarded and honored for his art and cultural involvement, one of which honors presented by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Bearden died March 12, 1988 in New York City at the age of 76.

Bearden’s Art He was inspired by: numerous western artists such as Cezanne, Picasso, Duccio, Giotto, de Hooch, and Matisse African artwork (esp. sculpture, masks, textiles) Byzantine mosaics Japanese prints Chinese landscape paintings His mediums: Collages Watercolors Oils Photomontages Prints His works reflect his past in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, as well as Pittsburgh and Harlem. He also worked off of historical, literary and musical sources. He was best known for his collages, but he was very diverse in his forms of artwork. He even designed costumes, programs and sets for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Nanette Bearden (his wife)’s Contemporary Dance Theatre.

“The Piano Lesson” One of the people greatly inspired by Bearden was August Wilson, playwright of “The Piano Lesson,” whose writing style and motives were similar to that of Bearden’s art. Both sought to portray African-American life, particularly during the Great Migration, using ubiquitous patterns and themes; simple moments of everyday life. This collage, entitled Piano Lesson inspired Wilson’s work “The Piano Lesson.”

What Wilson Had to Say: "What I saw was black life, presented on its own terms, on a grand and epic scale, with all its richness and fullness, in a language that was vibrant and which, made attendant to everyday life, ennobled it, affirmed its value, and exalted its presence… It defined not only the character of black American life, but also its conscience." -Playwright August Wilson on Romare Bearden

Out of the Mouth of Bearden… "Practically all great artists accept the influence of others. But . . . the artist with vision sees his material, chooses, changes, and by integrating what he has learned with his own experiences, finally molds something distinctly personnel.” "Well, it [artistic method] is like jazz; you do this and then you improvise.” “Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.” “I want to see how life can triumph.” “There are roads out of the secret place within us which we must all move as we go to touch others.” Out of the Mouth of Bearden…

Bibliography http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/bearden/ http://creativequotations.com/one/434.htm http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1428038 http://www.beardenfoundation.org/artlife/biography/biography.shtml http://www.brwnpaperbag.com/2011/05/24/time-travel-tuesday-romare-bearden/ http://www.nga.gov/feature/bearden/170-130.htm