So this blog is my short, yet oh so sweet ode to the Harlem Renaissance artist, Malvin Johnson. No I'm not talking about Langston Hughes or Zora Neale Hurston. This is about the painters, the sculptors, and etc. When I learned about the Harlem Renaissance my sophomore year in high school, we just focused on the writers and how they influenced the world of literature. James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington always get the praise and noteworthy attention, that no one ever stops to think about other African Americans who played a role in the Harlem Renaissance. For these individuals their canvas illustrated their stories and their thoughts. And yet, we hardly ever hear about them or their work. But that is about to change, starting with this blog. The artist that I'm blogging about today is Malvin Gray Johnson and his painting titled Negro Soldier. This painting is so simple, but the historical back story is what makes this painting so interesting. The broad shouldered soldier seems proud and very confident. The light colors that surround the soldier, give him an omniscient glow and makes him even more intriguing. He looks like any soldier that fought long and hard for freedom and democracy. However, unlike most soldiers in the 1920s, this black soldier isn't necessarily free nor does he feel like he lives in democratic society. This what makes this painting so interesting. You have his black soldier who probably felt more free and alive in Europe while he was being shot at than he ever did at home. His physique and lighting around him make him seem strong and brave and yet for a soldier who was on the winning side, his facial expression seems so complacent and lacks joy. But who would want to smile exuberantly knowing that you are not too inferior to die next to a white man,but too inferior to live like one.
image:www.tfaoi.com/cm/7cm/7cm51.jpg
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