Black Arts at OxyMain MenuIntroductionAmy Lyford's introduction to Art History 389 class projectWorks in the ExhibitionClose inspection of artists' works in contextBlack Arts, Culture and Community at Occidental: 1969-1972Landing page for Oxy historical context for the exhibition and the culture re: black student experience + curriculumBlack Arts, Culture and Community in Los Angeles: 1969-1972Landing page for research about the broader cultural, political, and artistic context in LA, 1969-1972BibliographyAll sources for the current iteration of Black Arts at OxyAmy Lyford7f58938a63eff8db4092d452d1f6451c2056d580Allison Wendt5f609f9e327122da9a07a273744d9e6d158702fcLeila Wang57ba150afc9b24810f035018ea1dcdcf8ac91999Christina Sabinf0fc1c7a57adf43a59c2ba72758e45fee772e3d4Vanessa Toddd44a174f5c0bf51566a0822429f8a0c533cf973bKellen Holte3d1dbad48f5400866a6acd47d4afed94700451aJennifer Keane585455368ba9baefcc126fd1c8f4bd3f64c3e50dSophia McGintye2afbd2b58ee1a169801b7d90740468951cc4d86Katherine Torrey6fe8a07abe4c528e68021a61b56ce660c8aa4882Emily Dwyer5902de6501051e6518d15bf822af5ad8e1c359d9Chloe Welmond980bbb8a8d7c8a417dc46daa91a71eecefd4118aKailee Stovalle823ac3a96f225f888ac5f74bc901add983ccdcfJocelyn Lob248c946ca9bbc33f02e61d9487c6b7452c7ed45
Group Photograph
12016-12-06T15:20:13-08:00Vanessa Toddd44a174f5c0bf51566a0822429f8a0c533cf973b128341Group photograph containing many of the Los Angeles minority artistsplain2016-12-06T15:20:13-08:00Vanessa Toddd44a174f5c0bf51566a0822429f8a0c533cf973b
12016-12-06T15:16:18-08:00Context in Los Angeles: 1970-197111taking a broader look at the cultural, artistic, and social context of Los Angeles during the years 1970-1971plain2016-12-07T15:41:34-08:00In 1970-1971, “black art” in Los Angeles was still quite young. Many of the young artists rising, such as Noah Purifoy, Bettye Saar, and John Outterbridge, would later be recognized as pioneers and their work quintessential when discussing black art in not only Los Angeles, but the United States; however, in the time before those individuals became recognized, they were only starting to create art pieces. One LA Times article tries to wrap its head around the concept of a black art exhibition in which the author poses the question: is it merely grouping together artists “whose sole affinity is the color of their skin?”. The reality for many of the young black artists during this time was that their work would be displayed in minority art galleries or labeled as “black art” when shown in the larger settings. Aside from being segregated in the gallery setting, there was also a discussion going on about the distinction between east and west cost when it comes to black art. The same article from above complains that “westerners” were omitted from the show, most likely because the organizers, who were primarily from the East Coast, did not know them. Black artist recognition was therefore largely regional, and at this period did not extend to both coasts. Not only within the geography of the United States was there a struggle over recognition across state lines, but also a controversy as to whether or not the galleries would recognize Black Art as Western art when it is inspired from the individuals’ heritage in the East. In the fall of 1971, LACMA installed an exhibit known as “Black Africa,” which housed art all inspired from the “dark continent” and how it has inspired so much art of the Western world. Despite the aim of the exhibition, some individuals still called the art savage and inferior to the art of the West and white people, unconsciously displaying racism. It seems as though the most notable art by black Americans was not only seen as a “positive alternative to whatever else was going on in the ghetto”, but succinctly conveyed frustrations dealing with “the black man’s condition in America”. Black artists at the time were not solely making art for the sake of exhibitions and sales, but for their important messages resulting in experimental and entirely fresh work. By bringing common ideas and sentiments together about identity, heritage, and opportunity, the black art of this time started to become its own genre in addition to building community, as shown in a poster from Now Dig This!. Especially noticeable after the Watts Riots in 1965, tension between police and black communities in Los Angeles was at an all time high. Leimert Park’s crime rate, like many other metropolitan and urban areas began to experience a rise. In addition, there were boycotts aiming for a higher percentage of black employees in certain fields, requests for better funding and education in black schools, and crime that was specifically hurtful to the black community. By March of 1971, black police officers created a program called the Oscar Joel Bryant Association to increase support of the LAPD in black communities. Many articles relay an increased awareness in the economical inequality and racial bigotry against black Americans. Between 1970-1971, attention was being drawn to the silent racism that was hurting the various aspects of black lives such as work, education, and art. Some individuals thought, “The black artist today has an obligation and a responsibility to be the clarion of black life…Artists have for long periods of time had to paint to the satisfaction of critics and galleries rather than the very community that they were from.” With as many minority gallery shows as were possible for that time, it would only be expected that the black arts would have a clear role in critiquing mainstream society as well as community building. Since art had such a personal level and aspect about it, art by the black artists was naturally more locally based, as it spoke directly with the artists’ life experiences from these specific communities.
