A historical/cultural exploration by Footsteps of the impact of spirituality on the creation of Black Art

1. Defining A Black Aesthetic
What Makes Black Art Black?

2. 2:19 17:19
My Favorite Things
as created
My Favorite Things
by a creator

3. Hard Knock Life
as Created
Hard Knock Life
by a Creator
2:39 3:58

4. As with everything, we begin with the Spirit

5. We start with the belief that
God is the creator of
everything

6. And by everything that means us

7. and by us, we mean everybody

8. As God is multi-dimensional, each of
God’s people sought and found their
own pathway on God’s earth

9. Cultural Worldviews
African American
Hispanic: FATEEuro-American: DOMINION
Asian American: HARMONY
?

10. This is the tale of God’s people
from the African Diaspora and
the pathway they took and the
art they have created along the
way…

11. As with everything, we begin with the Spirit

12. 2 things of the Spirit
we believe in
rhythm
Is substance
creativity
is process

13. We are rhythmic

14. The many are one
Circadian Rhythm
Ultradian Rhythms
Cellular Rhythms
Biorhythms
Brain Waves:
beta, alpha, theta, del
ta
Parasympathetic
Sympathetic Nervous
Systems

15. Our combined rhythmic patterns are
the reality and metaphor of our
uniqueness: our soul
And together we are a
polyrhythmic, soulful
people

16. From cradle to
grave, we, God
’s
creation, have
the inalienable
duty from God
to celebrate
our creation by
being creators
ourselves

17. Creativity is our individual birth right and finding pathways to
express our unique rhythm is our way of glorifying God

18. Creativity is the
spiritual expression
of our rhythmic
uniqueness
The essence of Black
Culture

19. 1. Your creativity is about
expressing who you are – the soul
of your rhythm -- to God
The structure of Black Creativity

20. As August Wilson said: You have to find
your song and sing it

21. Whatever creative pathway
you embrace, you must master
its tools so that you can fully
express God’s glory in
whatever way you are moved
to do so

22. 2. As you are always evolving
your product must also
1. Your creativity is about
expressing who you are to God
The structure of Black Creativity

23. Improvisation
is one’s
uniquely ever-
evolving
rhythmic style

24. The Result: A Lifetime of Defining One’s Self-
image through Stylistic Improvisations

25. 3. Your creativity connects you
with other creators that God has
created
2. As you are always evolving
your product must also
1. Your creativity is about
expressing who you are to God
The structure of Black Creativity

26. With Black
Art, everyone is
simultaneously
audience and
artists…we are
ALL creators
and observers
of God’s Glory

27. Expressing God’s glory each in our rhythm
is a circle of Love

28. The highest expression of
Black Creativity is God’s
Glory and that soulful prayer
is Love

29. Cultural Worldviews
AA: CREATORS
Hispanic: FATEEuro-American: DOMINION
Asian American: HARMONY

30. The use of the Black
Cultural Toolbox for
creative expression
The definition of Black Art

31. Black Art
Pillars
Black Cultural
Toolbox
Story-telling, Uplift
versus The Real (the
good, the bad and the
ugly of
life), Juxtaposition of
Forms, Rhythm, Impr
ovisation…
Double
Consciousness, Right
Now, Early
Adopters, Relativity, Co
mmunity is
family, Communal-
Individual
Expression, Naturalism,
Celebration
Always, Social
Science, Mind-Body
Connection, Emotional
Embrace…

32. And what about
technology? How
does it fit in?

33. The technology
for creative
expression is
ever-evolving
but what has
remained the
same in Black
Art is the felt-
need to be
expressive

34. The Digital Century is tailor-made for the
Black Creative POV of audience as artist:
It is Black Arts on Steroids

35. A Black Artist’s
American
Dilemma

36. Serving Two Masters: The Spirit or Manna