The Visual Blues

The Visual Blues explores the enormous impact that blues and jazz music emanating from the Deep South and moving north had on artists associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Through a synthesis of interdisciplinary studies, The Visual Blues will fill a major gap in the historiography of the intersection between African-American art and music. The catalogue will revive an era of America’s history, weaving the story of rhythmic creativity throughout its pages.

The Visual Blues shows how the artists and musicians of the Harlem Renaissance blurred artistic boundaries, drawing inspiration from each other and contributing to each other’s art forms. The art scene in Harlem from 1919 to approximately 1940 encouraged a melding of art, music, literature, and poetry, providing a creative haven and outlet for transcending hardships and shattering racial stereotypes. The Visual Blues features a wide range of artists, some of whom already have established reputations and art markets, and others who are under-recognized and are rarely seen publicly.

The Visual Blues comprises sixty-four paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures by some of the most recognized and celebrated African-American artists of the Harlem Renaissance.