Augusta Savage's "The Harp"

One of the art mediums I loved to do in high school was with clay(sculpturing), I wish that I could do more of it now. I love all forms of art, from sculpturing, drawing and painting to poetry and music, it inspires and fascinates me deep in my soul.

I was researching the Harlem Renaissance period, an era in the 1920's to mid 1930's that began a movement of cultural, social and artistic expression of African American art, photography, music, literature and dance. It took place in Harlem, New York, and ushered in a time of racial pride and identity, much like James Brown did with his song, "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," in 1968. 

African American artists came into prominence at this time, such as, musicians Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, singers Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith, poets Claude McKay and Langston Hughes and many more. Among the many artists was a woman, Augusta Savage who created a beautiful sculpture that was amazing, It was inspired by the poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing" written by James Weldon Johnson in 1899 and set to music by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson in 1900.

As an artist and poet, it is from "The Creator" that all creative expression is inspired and along with the poem and the sculpture, I can imagine what it must have meant to her when she completed this masterpiece. I can visualize the sculpture and the poem coming to life as one in metaphysical detail, "poetry in motion"....so to speak, is my personal interpretation of this piece.

A beautiful piece of artwork!

I urge you to look into the history of "The Harlem Renaissance" it is an amazing testament to the magnificent Yah-given talents of African American people, you will be amazed and inspired too, layman and artist alike!

"The Harp"

Augusta Savage

Augusta Savage is remembered as an artist, activist, and arts educator, serving as an inspiration to the many that she taught, helped, and encouraged.

Born Augusta Christine Fells on February 29, 1892, in Green Cove Springs, Florida, Augusta Savage was an important African American artist and arts educator. Savage began making art as a child, using the natural clay found in her community. She liked to sculpt animals and other small figures. But her father, a Methodist minister, didn't approve of this activity, and did whatever he could to stop her. Savage once said that her father "almost whipped all the art out of me."

Despite her father's objections, Savage continued to make sculptures. When the family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 1915, she encountered a new challenge?? a lack of clay. Savage eventually got some materials from a local potter and created a group of figures that she entered in a local county fair. Her work was well-received, winning a prize and the support of the fair's organizer, George Graham Currie. He encouraged her to study art.

After a failed attempt to establish herself as a sculptor in Jacksonville, Florida, Savage moved to New York City in 1920s. She struggled financially throughout her life, but was able to study art at the Cooper Union, which did not charge tuition. After a year, the school gave her a scholarship to help with living expenses. Savage excelled there, finishing her course work in three years instead of the usual four.

While at the Cooper Union, she had an experience that would influence her life and work in 1923. Savage applied to a special summer program to study art in France, but was rejected because of her race. She took the rejection as a call to action, and sent letters to the local media about the program selection committee's discriminatory practices. Savage's story made headlines in many newspapers.

Despite her efforts, the committee refused to change its mind. Although disappointed, Savage found success in other areas. She started to make a name for herself as portrait sculptor. Her works from this time include portraits of such leading African Americans as W. E. B. DuBois and Marcus Garvey. Savage was considered to be one of the leading artists of the Harlem Renaissance, an African-American literary and artistic movement of the 1920s.

Highly regarded as an artist, Savage was commissioned to create a sculpture for the 1939 New York World's Fair. Inspired by some of the lyrics of the poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing," she created The Harp. The work re-interpreted the musical instrument to feature African-American faces?? depicted as if they were singing?? appeared at the top of the harp strings, and the instrument's sounding board is transformed into a hand and arm. In the foreground, the figure of a young man kneeled, offering music in his hands. Although this is considered to be one of her major works, The Harp was destroyed at the end of the fair. 

*source: biography.com

~And I say, it was destroyed...What a shame.