Black Art in the Absence of Light

 Black Art in the Absence of Light

 

 

            Black Art in the Absence of Light is an HBO documentary directed and produced by Sam Pollard. This film has two main focuses which are African American art history, and the other is following the development of some African American artists. This documentary has a wealth of knowledge about African American art and art history.

            This film starts out with an interview that is being given by Tom Browka from the Today Show. This interview is an original clip from 1976 Browka is interviewing Professor David Driskell from the University of Maryland. The topic of the interview is the Exhibition 200 Years of Black Art. The exhibition chronicles invisible African American Art that has never been represented in American culture. Professor Driskell curated an exhibition that partially encompassed two hundred years of African American art that historically matched the European masters of the time, yet these African American masters had no representation, therefore, no voice.  This exhibit held 100 different artists. Driskell’s premise was seeming to give a voice and presence to his culture and bridge the gap in art history for the past 200 hundred years to the present day of 1976. Driskell did this by curating an exhibition in his vision of African American Art history. One would believe that he succeeded in his plight.  This exhibition was shown throughout the United States and in the film, Professor Driskell stated it had the largest crowds in number to attend an exhibition to date in America. As the film progresses it has many interviews with African American artists curators and intellectuals from the art world. Some of them even attended the exhibition 200 Years of Black Art in 1976.

            Some of the artists interviewed were Kerry James Marshall, Faith Ringgold, Denise Nichols, Jordan Casteel, Radcliff Bailey, Kara Mae Weems, and several others. This is a pivotal point in the documentary. Where the dialogue shifts from an art history aspect and delves into the culture and new African American artists that are emerging. The film also interviewed professor Driskell in 2021 and the video periodically back flashes to the 1976 interview. This show was compellingly constructed of many interviews and viewing of art. It also would reflect from an interview with an artist to their artwork. The interviewees would discuss the techniques and conceptual meanings of the work. The artist would also interpret and relate the pieces to their culture which was inspiring. The interviews brought to light Spiral.

            Spiral is a group of African American artists that banded together to give African American art Vision and direction. This group’s founders were Romare Bearden, Chris Alston, Norman Lewis, and after the initial founding, Female artist Emma Amos was allowed to join. This groups’ founding was in part because of the Million Man March on Washington which was stated in the video. Another thing the video made the viewer aware of was that this group was very particular about its participants. In the interview with, Iconic African American Female artist Faith Ringgold, I learned that even among African American artists there was a gender equality struggle. She explains in the video she was not allowed into this group, and therefore she knew being a feminist artist was the right move for her.

            The documentary also makes the viewer aware of a 1968 exhibition, Harlem on my Mind. This exhibition was showing 70 years’ worth of African American art in Harlem. This exhibit was lacking the face and representation of the African American culture.  It also states that this was the first African American exhibition in the US. The next exhibition 200 years of African American Art exhibited several years later. Then in 2017, a major exhibit Black Male happened, and this was a landmark showing for the African American art culture. This exhibit embodied most aspects of the African American male body.  In viewing the film, I also learned about Studio Museum which is a museum that is owned and run by African Americans to support African American emerging artists.

            Black Art in the Absence of Light is an HBO documentary that is a wealth of knowledge that delves into African American Art and Art History. It was professionally constructed, rich in art history, and held a wealth of knowledge for the viewer. This film covers missing art history from two centuries and other important African American Exhibitions and artists. All artists need to see this film and be aware that African American art history was invisible for two decades in the United States. This documentary shines a spotlight on that and many other aspects of African American art and culture.