It was interesting to see Palmer Hayden, a famous figure in the Harlem Renaissance, use the African American life to inspire his artwork. A pattern that I noticed with artists of the Harlem Renaissance is that they tend to draw inspiration from the struggles of Black Americans and paint the life they live. Aaron Douglas was another artist of the Harlem Renaissance and he painted the pains and struggles that Black Americans experienced historically through slavery and segregation. Similarly, Palmer Hayden seems to be drawing inspiration from the same source. It’s this common struggle that ties many of the artists of the Harlem Renaissance together. Most of the paintings that Rehmat chose to display in her report shows some African influence of some kind. It’s clear that this was one of the main driving forces behind the Harlem Renaissance.
Palmer Hayden was a renowned African American painter during the Harlem Renaissance who depicted the urban and the rural lifestyles for African Americans. As Rehmat mentioned, Hayden emphasized particularly on a fictional folk hero, John Henry, and emphasized African American facial features. Although I understand why some might be critical of Hayden’s emphasis of facial features that revolve around the stereotype, I also understand that there has to be an explicit representation of African Americans in the art community. Rather than hide or try to be ashamed of your natural features, I believe Hayden believed you should be proud of what you look like and who you are. As with John Henry, he was fictional but to Hayden he represented a heroic figure for his audience to recognize – especially his Black audience. Traditional western art only depicts superior white figures, but Hayden depicts Black figures of all statuses from a janitor to John Henry. I believe that is what Hayden was trying to achieve all along – an early attempt to redefine the art community’s views on Black subjects in art and the inclusion of diversity with a group he knew best.
It was interesting to see Palmer Hayden, a famous figure in the Harlem Renaissance, use the African American life to inspire his artwork. A pattern that I noticed with artists of the Harlem Renaissance is that they tend to draw inspiration from the struggles of Black Americans and paint the life they live. Aaron Douglas was another artist of the Harlem Renaissance and he painted the pains and struggles that Black Americans experienced historically through slavery and segregation. Similarly, Palmer Hayden seems to be drawing inspiration from the same source. It’s this common struggle that ties many of the artists of the Harlem Renaissance together. Most of the paintings that Rehmat chose to display in her report shows some African influence of some kind. It’s clear that this was one of the main driving forces behind the Harlem Renaissance.
Palmer Hayden was a renowned African American painter during the Harlem Renaissance who depicted the urban and the rural lifestyles for African Americans. As Rehmat mentioned, Hayden emphasized particularly on a fictional folk hero, John Henry, and emphasized African American facial features. Although I understand why some might be critical of Hayden’s emphasis of facial features that revolve around the stereotype, I also understand that there has to be an explicit representation of African Americans in the art community. Rather than hide or try to be ashamed of your natural features, I believe Hayden believed you should be proud of what you look like and who you are. As with John Henry, he was fictional but to Hayden he represented a heroic figure for his audience to recognize – especially his Black audience. Traditional western art only depicts superior white figures, but Hayden depicts Black figures of all statuses from a janitor to John Henry. I believe that is what Hayden was trying to achieve all along – an early attempt to redefine the art community’s views on Black subjects in art and the inclusion of diversity with a group he knew best.