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To: kcvl
"Black Art must be for the people, by the people and from the people," writes Karenga. "That is to say, it must be functional, collective and committing."

Oy.

"Collective" art? I never encountered this term in art school.

It must be "functional"? What is this hack trying to say, that black artists must only engage in crafts? Pottery, textiles, basketweaving, stuff like that? Stuff that everyone HAD to produce out of necessity, before the industrial revolution? Because that's the future he envisions, or what?

"Committing"? To a (his) cause, I suppose.

Karenga is also well-known for his commitment to Black cultural nationalism. In his essay "Black Cultural Nationalism" Karenga explains that, "Black art, like everything else in the Black community, must respond positively to the reality of revolution" (Gayle, The Black Aesthetic).

Ah. Black artists must produce "black art". They must not dare to paint a landscape or still life or anything else that does not bludgeon the viewer instantly with Black Identity Politics.

It's hard enough to be an artist without idiots like Karenga trying to put new chains on you.

93 posted on 12/19/2003 4:20:33 AM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: hellinahandcart
it must be functional, collective and committing

Functional -- it must be useful in a political sense: it must serve the Revolution's aims.
Collective -- it must focus on the masses: in order to serve the Revolution's aims.
Committing -- there is one central goal in life: serving the Revolution's aims.

95 posted on 12/19/2003 5:29:32 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (France delenda est)
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