The Art of Romare Bearden - Hardcover

Fine, Ruth E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810946408 ISBN 13: 9780810946408

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, 2003

Synopsis

One of the nation's most unique artistic voices finds expression in this fascinating retrospective of his work, illuminating his groundbreaking work in collages, photastats, watercolors, gouaches, and oils, including examples of his lesser-known landscape painting, sculpture, costume designs, and much, much more. 17,500 first printing.

About this title

Review:

It takes a special kind of book to paint the full picture of Romaire Bearden's artistic life. While quietly wrestling with what it meant to be a black American artist at mid-century, Bearden opened himself to a world of cultural influences. He found inspiration in Benin bronzes and paintings by Duccio; the Bible and Buddhism; The Odyssey and the blues; contemporary urban life and the rural lore of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Art of Romaire Bearden offers a wise and thoughtful assessment of Bearden in the social context of his life and times. In the graceful lead essay, Ruth E. Fine traces Bearden's career from its beginnings in the mid-1930s, when—as a newly-minted New York University grad—he toiled by day as a social worker and painted at night. Bearden's best-known works are his Dada-influenced photomontages, begun in the mid-1960s, which created a visual equivalent for a disjunctive era of triumph and tragedy for African-Americans. His ou! tput also included stunning book illustrations and costume designs, political cartoons, incisive essays about the role of the black artist and even popular songs. More than 200 color illustrations display Bearden’s coloristic wizardry as a master of painted collage and lyrical landscape. The book accompanies an exhibition assembled by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (through Jan. 4, 2004) which travels to San Francisco, Dallas, New York and Atlanta. —Cathy Curtis

About the Author:

Ruth E. Fine, curator of special projects in modern art at the National Gallery of Art, has written or contributed essays to numerous books on American art, including works on Roy Lichtenstein, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Helen Frankenthaler. Jacqueline Francis teaches art history at the University of Michigan. Rocío Aranda-Alvarado is assistant curator at the Jersey City Museum, New Jersey. Sarah Kennel is curatorial and exhibition assistant for the department of photographs, National Gallery of Art. Nnamdi Elleh is assistant professor of architecture at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, University of Cincinnati. Abdul Goler is a Henry Luce Scholar in the Seton Hall Masters in Musem Professions Program.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0810946408
• ISBN 13: 9780810946408
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 346