History has defined numerous painters, sculptors and other fine artisans throughout the world. Most primary and secondary (and even some post secondary) art education in the United States is Eurocentric in focus. We learn about artists like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Cezanne, Picasso and Mondrian. Many of the artists I learned about were Americans, such as Pollack, Warhol, Hopper, Wood and O’Keeffe. In retrospect, I realized that the overwhelming majority of my early art education focused on caucasian men. I was oblivious to this fact for many years. That is until a very good friend of mine, an amazing artist in his own right, introduced me to a number of black and hispanic artists. Why does it matter? Why is it so important that I, or for that matter you, be introduced to artists of different cultures and backgrounds? The amazing thing about art is the fact that it transcends time and cultural boundaries. All pieces tell a story. Some stories make political statements, while others give us insight about a particular person, culture or historical event. By studying art from people of different backgrounds, we are in essence, obtaining a more well-rounded understanding of our world.
With diversity in mind, I would like to periodically discuss the artists who have influenced me. One such artists is John Biggers. I went to middle school and high school in Houston, Texas. It turns out that Dr. Biggers, one the most influential black artists of our times spent much of his professional career as an artists and educator right there in Houston, Texas. John Biggers was educated at Hampton University under the instruction of Viktor Lowenfeld in the 1940′s. He later went on to establish and run the art department at Texas Southern University. Dr. Biggers was a painter, printmaker, and sculptor. Many of his most famous works were murals. His paintings showed a complete understanding of composition. He filled his canvases with interesting figures, geometric shapes, light, shadow and color, which combined lead your eye throughout his pieces. Exaggerated hands and deep set eyes are predominant in most of his human figures. He often used familiar household objects like washboards and cast iron pots to identify the characters in his work. The use of these items give us an understand of the subjects’ social status and a peek into their daily life. In 1957, Dr. Biggers took a trip to Africa as a part of a cultural exchange program. The trip had a profound affect on his art. In particular, the use of afrocentric patterns, symbols and spiritual imagery. Much of his post Africa pieces remind me of quilts. Dr. Biggers uses patterns of squares and triangles to fill his backgrounds and adorn his figures. He is truly an American Master.
