It is undeniable that art is one of the most influential mediums of expression. When we produce art, regardless of our skill or talent, we expose our emotions through the mediums we choose. The catharsis of art makes every piece unique, regardless of how simplistic it may seem. An artist’s internal conflict is splayed out on a canvas for the world to see, or at least those who they choose to show it to. Artists often embrace and channel feelings of sensuality, resentment, or euphoria when they create. This allows them to escape their feelings while also giving them a volume in which their emotions and ideas can freely exist. Certain artists understand this better than others, particularly those who have existed through conflict, discrimination, and trauma. One of those artists is Charles White, who famously said, “Art is an integral part of the struggle…It must ally itself with forces of liberation.”
Charles White was an influential African American painter and printmaker from Chicago who confronted the social issues faced by African Americans in the United States during the twentieth century. He exposed the harsh truths of African American life and showcased the uniqueness of African American culture through the lens of social realism. Throughout his life, White directly experienced discrimination and cruelty in his personal life and professional career. He was born into an unstable family; his father passed away early, causing his mother to remarry to an abusive alcoholic steel mill worker. This was when a young Charles found an escape in art, taking classes at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Growing up, White initially hid his passion for art, but eventually started showcasing his art at exhibits when he was fourteen. Unfortunately, he was often snubbed out of recognition in favor of white artists, as was often the case for the time. When attending high school, White grew increasingly more aware of his unjust social reality; school systems refused to teach about important African American figures from the Harlem Renaissance, causing White to obtain rebellious social views which he would later showcase in his celebrated pieces. Failing out of high school due to his rejection of the corrupt education system, White was denied a position at both of the art schools he obtained scholarships to and instead chose to pursue his passion at the Art Institute of Chicago. He would go on to channel his resentment towards the cruelty and humiliation of the Jim Crow era-South through his art, producing pieces that would make their way into famous collections such as the National Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art.
My favorite artwork from Charles White is Hope for the Future, a powerful lithograph piece that depicts a black mother holding her child while sitting in front of a window. In the background, a noose is hanging from the tree outside, depicting the violent nature of racism in the south. I think this piece is particularly moving because of its brutal reality; it addresses the contempt displayed by white Americans towards the actions of the Klu Klux Klan and other racist movements in twentieth-century America. I admire White’s exaggerated approach to anatomy, it gives his pieces a lot of character. This makes it difficult to distract from the true meaning of the piece, while still focusing on the plight of the figures in the foreground. These figures are also more defined because of White’s masterful attention to detail; his shading technique is brilliant, using a variety of cross-hatching methods to give the figures definition.
