Learn About an Artist
Romare Bearden
Romare Bearden was an American artist known mostly for his brightly colored collage artwork. He was born on September 2, 1911, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Due to Jim Crow laws, life became especially difficult for African Americans, and the Bearden family joined many others in what became known as The Great Migration, moving north to New York when Romare was just a toddler. This would eventually became Bearden's city that he lived in and loved for the rest of his life--especially the Harlem area. During the 1930's, he created cartoons and illustrations for various magazines, and also made many political cartoons for newspapers. He enlisted and served in the US Army from 1942-45, mostly in Europe. He was also a case worker for the New York Department of Social Services during most of the time from 1950-1969. In 1954, he married Nanette Rohan, with whom he would spend the rest of his life. In 1964, he was 53 years old when he made his first set of collages. He would combine images cut from magazines and colored paper, and would often alter them by using sandpaper, bleach, or paint. In 1971, he became only the 2nd Black artist to have a solo exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He created the Romare Bearden Foundation, as well as The Studio Museum in Harlem. In 1987, he received the National Medal of the Arts. He passed away on March 12, 1988. His home in Harlem is now a Historic Landmark Preservation Site. His artwork can be found in many major museums such as, the Museum of Modern Art, the Chicago Art Institute, the Chazen Museum of Art, Madison Contemporary Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. You can also view 23 of his artworks online by clicking on the link below for The Harlem Studio.
If you would like to learn more about this artist, below is a list of some great books to read, as well as virtual or nearby places where you can view the artists' artwork.
Books:
Romare Bearden: His Life and Art, by Myron Schwartzman
My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey, by Jeanne Walker Harvey and Elizabeth Zunon
The Block, by Langston Hughes, art by Romare Bearden
Nearby Museums or Virtual Websites:
Interesting Fact--learn more about Romare Bearden's short stint as a semi-pro baseball player by clicking here!