I was glad to find out that we were asked to write a blog entry on Romare Bearden, one of my favorite American artists. For me, Bearden is truly a distinctive American artist that creates work that reflects the blend of cultures, people and influences that constitutes America. His masterful use of collage carries a lot of meaning while still being incredible in design and composition. Bearden doesn't try to hide the collaged elements in his works. He uses their rough cuts and variety to juxtapose the varying textures to create visual interest.
In his "Pittsburgh Memories" seen here, you can see how all of the eclectic sources for the facial features feel married while providing a great deal of dynamicism. It takes more than one glance to process the fragmented pieces and where they originated. This patchwork to me represents the diversity of America and perhaps for Bearden the diversity of African-americans. The fragments in his collages also make the image feel like a living, moving thing as if the pieces of collage are dancing in a unified rhythm. I suppose this is where we can really sense the influence of American jazz in his work.
Bearden is also quite brave when it comes to the use of color. His color sensibility is bold and unapologetic about using intense hues. His work feels much more optimistic with the choice of bright and at times clashing colors. It gives the feeling of vibrancy and captures the buzz of a busy city day. It seems he was inspired by various cities and towns in the U.S. for not just the people and subject matter but also for his color and design choices. I have been a longtime admirer of how he makes the collage medium look both effortless and complex. I can stare at one of the collages for a long time before making a new discover and noticing something I hadn't before.
