1. The Art and Life of Romare Bearden
Social Activism through Art

2. Who was Romare Bearden?
African-American artist born in 1911 and died in 1988
Grew up in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance
Painter, musician, performer, activist, scholar, and humanist
Some of his artists influences include
Paul Cezanne
Pablo Picasso
Henri Matisse

3. Who is Romare Bearden? Degree in Education from NYU
Art Students League of New York and the Sorbonne in Paris, France.
Lifelong love of learning
Surrounded by intellects:
Duke Ellington & Fats
Waller (musicians)
Langston Hughes (poet)
W.E.B. Du Bois (writer)
Aaron Douglas (artist)

4. Who is Romare Bearden?
First Art Director of the Harlem Cultural Council
Founded The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Cinque Gallery
Founding member of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters

5. Prolific Career Well Known for Collage
Out Chorus

6. Come Sunday

7. Three Folk Musicians

8. Return of the Prodigal Son

9. Quilting Time

10. She-Ba

11. Uptown Sunday Night Session

12. Wrapping It Up at the Lafayette

13. Published by Bearden
A History of African American Artists: From 1792 to the Present
The Caribbean Poetry of Derek Walcott and the Art of Romare Bearden (1983)
Six Black Masters of American Art, coauthored with Harry Henderson (1972)
The Painter's Mind: A Study of the Relations of Structure and Space in Painting, coauthored with Carl Holty (1969)
Li'l Dan, the Drummer Boy: A Civil War Story, a children's book published posthumously in September 2003

14. A Timeline of Bearden’s Life

15. Extremely Prolific Artist
Over 2000 works over his lifetime
Collages
Paintings
Drawings
Monotypes
edition prints
murals for public spaces
record album jackets
magazine and book illustrations
costume and set designs for theater and ballet

16. Words to know Collage Social Activism
From the French word “coller” meaning to paste items together
Social Activism
The doctrine that action rather than theory is needed at some political juncture; an activist is therefore one who works to make change happen.

17. Words to know Juxtaposition Distorted Photomontage
To place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
Distorted
Misrepresented or garbled
Photomontage
The technique of making a picture by assembling pieces of photographs, often in combination with other types of graphic material.

18. Words to know Stylized Political Mood
A pervading impression of an observer: the somber mood of the painting.
Stylized
To restrict or make conform to a particular style. Break a shape down to the basics…
Political
Of, relating to, or dealing with the structure or affairs of government, politics, or the state.

19. Part 2
What’s your stance?

20. Today’s Political Turmoil

21. Where do you stand? What bothers you? What affects you?
What issues do you feel strongly about?
Who would you vote for?
This is YOUR country.
What is important to YOU?