mid-to late sixties, to give themselves more of a voice within the Art Industries. Such
as music, literature, dance, poetry, and theater. Black Americans used this new
movement as a way to wage an effort for change. They wanted to use their talent in
the arts to speak out against the injustices that were being practiced against them
and to make the public aware of what they had been through.
With Imamu Amiri Baraka as its leader, the Black Arts Movement wanted to instill
pride in Black Americans by showing that we could have things written by us, acted
out by us, and performed in theaters that we owned. In many ways the
contributions to Black America's Art community by that Black Arts Movement, set the
stage of creativity for the Black American artists we have today...
printmaker Margo Humphrey. It required nearly three years of thought,
during which Humphrey looked at other representations of the Last
Supper by artists from Lorenzetti to Emil Nolde and considered what tone
the potential work should possess. In the final version,
The Last Bar-B-Que embraces many sources and traditions to create a
scene that is meaningful, humorous, and visually beautiful. Like
traditional representations of the Last Supper, Christ is shown seated at
a table, surrounded by his disciples. Humor can be found in the title and
in the watermelon and chicken that join the traditional bread and wine;
however, the title also indicates a shift from a European American
perspective to a Black American perspective, while the presence of the
pyramid and bright patterns of the clothing and the overall composition
truly suggest an African influences.
Ms. Humphrey commented, "The Last Bar-B-Que is a serious piece: a
rewriting of history through the eyes of my ancestry, a portrayal of a
savior who looks like my people."
as well as Ms. Ringgold's
painting are the results of the
freedom of expression, the
"Black Art Movement" is
credited with influencing...
Yet Black-American scholars
have deemed the "Black Art
Movement" in America the
shortest and least successful
movement of any Black
American's effort in America to
be free.
1991