Modernism and Harlem Renaissance the Modernist Movement

Modernism and Harlem Renaissance

The Modernist Movement

Modernism during the early part of the 20th century was a recognition of power in the human heart and mind ot make, improve, and reshape the environment (History of Visual Communication, 2012). This reshaping process was made possible with the assistance of science, technology, and experimentation. In addition to the political and cultural implications of this recognition, this reshaping process also manifested itself in the artistic movements of Western society. Particularly, it was a movement that encompassed European-born art and culture, while at the same time attempting to create something alternative, new, and indeed "modern" in response to the artistic and cultural movements that have prevailed to date. The movement embraced change and the present in rebellion against the academic and historicist traditions of the late 19th century. Instead, the movement sought to embrace the new economic, social, and political realities of the world it felt changing around itself. Change and the present were the most important components of the movement.

Indicative of the new movement was also new forms of art, such as the posters created by Adolphe Mouron Cassandre. He was a Ukrainian-French painter and commercial poster artist. Once he was successful in his work, Cassandre created an advertising agency, Alliance Graphique.

True to the spirit of the Modernist movement, Cassandre was one of the pioneers of advertising, creating posters that could easily be seen from fast moving vehicles. His creations for the Dubonnet wine company were among the posters he created with this in mind. This is one of the ways in which the changing technological environment influenced the artistic effort of the time. In addition, Cassandre's posters exemplified the way in which artists considered themselves able to change their environment and the work they chose to represent it.

In addition to this special quality, Cassandre's posters also displayed innovative graphic solutions. The influence of painters such as Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso, themselves pioneers of their time, could frequently be seen in his work. In the spirit of sharing his talent and inspiring others to unlock their own inner artist, Cassandre also taught graphic design at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs and the Ecole d'Art Graphique.

Typography was also an important component of poster design, and Cassandre's company created many new typeface styles to use on their posters. Some of these include

Bifur, created in 1929, sans serif Acier Noir, created in 1935, and Peignot, an all-purpose font created in 1937. In recognition of his artistic prowess and representative of the Modernist movement, Cassandre's work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1936. This brought more good fortune, in the form of commissions from Harper's Bazaar to create cover designs.

The Harlem Renaissance

Like the Modernist Movement, the Harlem Renaissance also represented a rebellion and a reaction to the changes in the world and in society. Whereas Modernism focused on cultures from Europe, however, the Harlem Renaissance was focused upon the emerging African-American tradition, not only as a social movement rebelling against oppression and marginalization, but also as an artistic movement in celebration of the roots of the African spirit that prevailed even in the face of oppression.

According to Powell (2005), the movement in terms of art was also made possible by the somewhat alleviated social and political anxieties among many African-Americans just after World War I. African-Americans migrated to the urban North of the United States in their masses. In this environment, African-Americans were allowed a degree of alleviation from the repression they still experienced in the Southern states. This alleviation allowed unity not only by means of resistance, but also a symbolic unity by means of artistic expression. The migrations created new racial compositions in cities such as Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, and Saint Louis. The heightened social consciousness in these environments resulted in the harbinger of the Harlem Renaissance, the New Negro movement.

Like the Modernist movement, the Harlem Renaissance was represented by a wide variety of leaders, experts, and artists. Social reformers, political activists, cultural elites, education and policy experts, and artists all formed part of this movement. As such, there was a highly focused vision of African literature, music, visual and performing arts within the context of Modernism. Like Modernism, the Harlem Renaissance sought, through its artistic and other endeavors, to reshape the world around by means of intellectual effort, and believed unequivocally in the human ability to do this.