Joel Elgin, Athraigh Studio.
Printmaking in the time of
COVID-19. Small Exhibitions:
Barbara Jones-Hogu
(1938
– 2017)
African American Protest Art of the
Sixties, Seventies
African
Commune of Bad Relevant Artists (AfriCOBRA).
In
1968, printmaker Barbara Jones-Hogu was a founding member of the Chicago group,
African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists (AfriCOBRA). The artists of AfriCOBRA made
visual, the central ideas of the Black Power movement—self-determination,
unity, and black pride. They
agreed to embrace a style that emphasized strong bold colors, flat shape,
rhythm, and text to highlight the heroic and beautiful qualities of black lives
in America.
The prints created by Barbara
Jones-Hogu, stand as brilliant works of art and at the same time reveal a glimpse
into America’s history of embedded racism and the importance of protest.
Land Where My Father Died
Color screenprint on gold-colored
Japanese-style laid paper. 1968
“…I feel that racism and fascism
played a great deal in my father being successful or not successful in his
life, so some of these prints’ ideas and content deal with the fact that we and
he were not really free to do whatever we and he really wanted to do and could
do due to radical oppression and suppression…”
Nation Time
Color screenprint on gold-colored
paper, 1970,
“…In Nation Time, a dominant figure
leads a black ensemble to rise up against the American flag background. Closer
looking reveals that the American flag’s stars are Ku Klux Klan members. In
this way, the composition acknowledges how racism is deeply embedded in
America, while also inspiring hope of overcoming that truth…”
Be Your Brother's Keeper
Color screenprint, 1971
“…The guns and the lights on them
and various actions against and between the military and the protesters caused
me to think that we should be our brothers’ keeper…”
Unite (AfriCOBRA)
Color screenprint on ivory wove
paper 1971
Rise and Take Control
Color screenprint on ivory wove
paper 1970
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