Romare Bearden

Who Was Romare Bearden?

Romare Bearden is widely recognized as one of the most significant American artists of the 20th century, known for his innovative depictions of African American culture and experience. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1911, Bearden spent a considerable portion of his career in New York City. He was largely self-taught and initially created realistic works, often exploring religious themes. As his style evolved, he embraced abstract and Cubist techniques, working in both oil and watercolor. Bearden is most celebrated for his photomontage compositions, which utilized torn images from popular magazines, crafted into visually impactful statements reflecting the richness of African American life.

Early Life

Romare Bearden was born on September 2, 1911, as the only child of Richard and Bessye Bearden. The family relocated to New York City when he was a toddler, where Bessye worked as a reporter for a prominent Black newspaper and eventually became president of the Negro Women’s Democratic Association. Their home was a hub for Harlem Renaissance figures, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, and Duke Ellington. After graduating from high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he lived with his maternal grandmother, Bearden briefly pursued semi-professional baseball in Boston before returning to New York City to attend college with aspirations of attending medical school. He majored in science at New York University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree. While at NYU, he contributed to the school’s humor magazine as a cartoonist and served as its editor in his senior year. Following his graduation, he became involved with a group of Black artists, developing a keen interest in modern art movements such as Cubism, Futurism, post-Impressionism, and Surrealism, which led him to study at the Sorbonne in France.

In 1942, Bearden was drafted into the United States Army and served in the all-Black 372nd Infantry Regiment until May 1945. After returning to civilian life, he worked as a social caseworker in New York City to support his artistic endeavors. In 1954, Bearden married Nanette Rohan, an accomplished dancer and founder of the New York Chamber Dance Company, who was 27 years his junior.

Art and Style

Romare Bearden’s body of work encompasses a diverse array of techniques, themes, and styles. Initially aspiring to be a cartoonist, he contributed to and later edited Boston College’s humor magazine in the early 1930s. Upon moving to New York City, he continued his cartooning while pursuing his scientific studies at NYU. His artistic journey took a pivotal turn when he immersed himself in the vibrant artistic community of Harlem, where he became inspired by modern art, particularly Cubism, post-Impressionism, and Surrealism.

Bearden’s artwork often depicted scenes from the American South, blending realistic representations with influences from Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera. His Cubist-inspired pieces are characterized by rich colors and simplified forms. Like many emerging artists, Bearden faced financial challenges and juggled various jobs while advancing his education and occasionally contributing cartoons to several African American publications, including W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Crisis.

Through his unique style and poignant themes, Bearden created a powerful legacy that continues to resonate within the art world and beyond.

The Passion of Christ

After serving in World War II, Romare Bearden returned to his artistic pursuits, developing an increasingly abstract style. In 1945, he presented a series of Cubist-inspired watercolor and oil paintings titled The Passion of Christ. This series, comprising 24 pieces, serves more as a commentary on the human condition than a literal interpretation of biblical narratives. Between 1950 and 1952, Bearden further honed his craft at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he met the renowned artist Pablo Picasso. His later works began to reflect the influences of old masters such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt, alongside modern artists like Picasso and Henri Matisse. Additionally, Bearden studied Chinese painting techniques and co-authored a book on the subject.

Collages

Bearden is perhaps best known for his innovative collage and photomontage compositions, which he began to explore in the mid-1960s. During this period, he grappled with the challenge of articulating his experiences as a Black man within the confines of abstract painting, feeling that abstraction lacked the clarity necessary to convey his narrative. This sense of artistic stagnation led him to experiment anew. By integrating images from magazines and colored paper, he incorporated various textures such as sandpaper, graphite, and paint. Influenced by the civil rights movement, his work evolved to become more representational and socially conscious. While his collage work exhibits elements of abstract art, it also draws inspiration from African American craft traditions, such as patchwork quilts, emphasizing the importance of utilizing available materials. By incorporating imagery from mainstream publications like Life and Look, alongside Black magazines such as Ebony and Jet, Bearden effectively crafted a visual representation of the African American experience.

The Block

One of Bearden’s most significant works, The Block, encapsulates this fusion of styles. The piece portrays a Harlem street scene, complete with row houses and the vibrant life of the neighborhood. At first glance, it presents a chaotic assembly of shapes and images. However, as one’s gaze settles, the faces of individuals emerge, composed of fragments of photographs that collectively convey a rich tapestry of experiences.

The Harlem Renaissance

Bearden’s collage work has often been likened to the improvisational nature of jazz. Growing up during the Harlem Renaissance, he was surrounded by many jazz luminaries; Duke Ellington was among his early patrons. Bearden even wrote songs for iconic artists such as Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie and later designed album covers for Wynton Marsalis. His collages reflect elements of jazz through their dynamic interplay among characters and the improvisation of materials used. Despite his prolific output, Bearden has not always received the recognition he deserves as a major American artist. The American art world has often mirrored societal prejudices and segregation, complicating his categorization. Nevertheless, throughout his life and posthumously, his exhibitions have garnered enthusiastic acclaim, earning him multiple awards and honorary doctorates.

Death

By the age of 58, Bearden had achieved a level of recognition and financial stability that allowed him to dedicate himself fully to his art in his own studio. He received grants and commissions and frequently served as a visiting professor at various universities. Throughout the 1960s, his focus shifted from painting to collage, although he continued to create large-scale murals and series for museum and gallery exhibitions. While working in his studio, Bearden was diagnosed with bone cancer and passed away on March 12, 1988, in New York City. In the final years of his life, he and his wife established plans for a foundation aimed at supporting the education and training of talented art students. The Romare Bearden Foundation opened its doors in 1990, continuing his legacy of fostering artistic talent.