Portraiture & Fashion | Episode 2 | Harlem Is Everywhere

What role did fashion play in the Harlem Renaissance? Artists at the time were committed to creating a new image of Black life in America and abroad. In this episode, we’ll explore how Black self-representation evolved during this period through the photography of James Van Der Zee and paintings by artists like William Henry Johnson and Archibald J. Motley, Jr. We’ll also examine how fashion conveyed community values and offered new modes of individual expression that challenged racist stereotypes and created a shared sense of dignity.
Learn more about The Met's exhibition at metmuseum.org/HarlemRenaissance
Objects featured in this episode:
James Van Der Zee, Nude, Harlem, 1923 (1970.539.27): www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
William Henry Johnson, Street Life, Harlem, ca. 1939-1940: americanart.si.edu/artwork/st...
James Van Der Zee, Couple, Harlem, 1932 (2021.446.1.2): www.metmuseum.org/art/collect...
Archibald J. Motley, Jr., Black Belt, 1934: archives.nasher.duke.edu/motl...
Guests:
Bridget R. Cooks, Chancellor’s Fellow and professor of art history and African American studies at the University of California, Irvine
Robin Givhan, Senior critic-at-large, The Washington Post
For a transcript of this episode, visit www.metmuseum.org/perspective...
#HarlemIsEverywhere
Harlem Is Everywhere is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in collaboration with Audacy's Pineapple Street Studios.
Subscribe to Harlem Is Everywhere wherever you listen to podcasts.
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2VEDHRO...
Google Podcasts: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0...
Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/4ed...
Subscribe for new content from The Met: / metmuseum
#TheMet #Art #TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt #Museum #HarlemIsEverywhere #HarlemRenaissance #podcast
© 2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

[@DoctorJoanieTool]

@TheMet I am so incredibly grateful for your fantastic informative streams - especially for the many who can’t or aren’t safe to travel to visit in person. Thank you so very much. Your video series are also incredible and so very valuable. ☮️

[@peghamptons]

I saw this excellent exhibit yesterday and wanted to see more portraits and paintings in this video. The photographer Van Der Zee is more well known than some of the painters featured.

[@metmuseum]

Stay tuned for a full virtual tour of the exhibition!

[@Cneph1964]

Excellent!

[@patriciarangel9483]

❤️❤️❤️❤️