The Migration of the Negro, Panel #15.
Jacob Lawrence, 1940-41.



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Graduation, photograph.
Roy DeCarava, 1949.

 



 

 

 

>Art Activity 1

Introducing Students to the Work of Jacob Lawrence: (Continued)

The work of Jacob Lawrence, especially in The Migration Series, is marked by a simplicity with which he captured complex feelings of travel, movement, and suspended notions of place and identity. Because many students have had experiences similar to those depicted in The Migration Series, they can bring these experiences to the discussion. Have students draw comparisons between their experiences and those portrayed by Jacob Lawrence. Some of the prompts that may help students see the work of Jacob Lawrence in light of their own experiences are:

  • Can we determine several categories or topics that recur in The Migration Series? For instance, many of the paintings feature train imagery so one category could be identified as Train Paintings.

  • Can we locate unifying elements that exist throughout the paintings? For instance, Jacob Lawrence uses spikes, nails, and hammers through many of his paintings.

  • What is the effect of Lawrence's use of bold primary
    colors and a direct distinctive drawing style?

  • Taking into consideration Lawrence's style of picture making, how do you react to these paintings? Do they make you sad, determined, happy, or leave you feeling neutral? What elements in the picture make you feel this way?

  • Do you think Lawrence's paintings make strong points about social issues, or do you think they are personal accounts of private experiences? Can they be both at the same time?

To help students come to a culminating stance about the paintings of Jacob Lawrence, ask them to compare them to Roy DeCarava's photographs. Students should be able to ascertain some similarities and differences in subject matter of the two artists and their respective series. In a further comparison, students can start to form a critical stance on the effectiveness of Jacob Lawrence's departure from the documentary aspects of Roy DeCarava's photographs.

Compared to the photographs of DeCarava, how do you think Lawrence's paintings are successful in capturing a sense of Harlem, its residents, and their lives?

If you were living in the Harlem as pictured by DeCarava, and you were a painter colleague of Lawrence, what would you choose to concentrate on? How would you make your paintings similar or different?

In looking at Lawrence's paintings during our prior discussions, what do you think are his most outstanding strengths? Why?

If you could own a Lawrence painting or a DeCarava photograph, which would you choose? If you had free choice of selection in a comprehensive museum, would you chose a photograph or painting of theirs, or artworks from a different art historical period or style? Please explain your choice.

 

 


Art Activity 1 Introduction Art Activity 2