Art in Harlem and The Evolution of "Cool"

by Benu


The Studio Museum of Harlem and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem are presenting two very different, but equally relevant, ideas of "cool."

The Studio Museum of Harlem presents Barkley Hendricks' Birth of Cool (running through March 15, 2009) - a collection of masterful, sumptuous portraits that capture a mood, fashion and politics of days gone by - when Black was Beautiful, and that beauty could be found in the faces and places of the everyday. Upon first entering the main gallery the viewer is drawn to the "afro-ed" young man surrounded by red, along the back wall. However, take a stroll through Mr. Hendricks neighborhood and you are likely to find the pimp, the pretty girl, the playboy, the player, as well as your aunts, uncles, cousins and Fela Kuti all posted up in their glory. Rich sumptuous reds, stark whites, brooding browns, and everything in between are wielded perfectly. Essentially, Hendricks has taken the idea of "classic" portraiture and turned it on its ear - adding a little DAX hairgrease to loosen the constricts, so that his notions are included in context.


The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture casts another image of "cool," with their current exhibit of photos detailing the campaign of President-Elect Barack Obama , which complements their on-line exhibit on African Americans and American politics. His image has found its way onto everything from posters and buttons to t-shirts and sweatshirts; to coffeemugs and calendars, the majority of which look pretty homemade. You can forgive our excitement... He is the first black president! How cool! It is only fitting, then, that The Schomburg Center would have a magnificent photo essay on the campaign that proved, "Yes, we can!" True, we have seen some permutation of these images before, however Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and Deborah Willis curated a concise and thought-provoking presentation- with images that provide a more personal perspective of the Obamas as they have navigated their new neighborhood, as well as the emotions of all those that played a part in making this monumental mark in history.

Once again Harlem is at the forefront of detailing this evolution of cool - from the storied images of hip-huggers, bell bottoms, afros, and beautiful brown consciousness to fresh images of strong, intelligent, driven, successful, beautiful brown men, women and children...all of it family. cool.