Anthony A Scott

AH 5560-Special Topics

Samantha A. Noel

September 6, 2015

Reflection

Gilroy, The Black Atlantic as a Counterculture of Modernity

     This first introduction chapter emphasizes “…Counterculture of Modernity”, Titled “The Black Atlantic…” is to me a magnificently orchestrated literary art executed by a highly educated author, to which an abundant amount of information and reference is given, thus highlighting modern expressions of “unfinished identities” against the social norm in one’s culture and/or subculture. (p.1) As a form of visual art, opposed to literary art, the author expresses multiple forms with his choice of words, and creates a piece giving a visual concept of a sculpture, painting, poetry and song, all in one. The focal point, through seemingly endless references, draws one’s eye to the center, the “Atlantic” ocean, where multiple cultures, individual lives, great literary works of the educated and uneducated, through song and poetry, to which all cross paths through time in the Atlantic, literally or theoretically.  

     In regard to visual art comparisons to literary construct, the continual use of “Modernity” (p.1), to which the “French poet and critic Charles Baudelaire 1821-1867), who was in large measure responsible for introducing the term…” (Nineteenth-Century European Art. 3 ed. Chu. 18) and which the critic applies to new art expressions and styles during the mid-nineteenth century. Baudelaire’s intent in labeling was to emphasize the fragmented extractions from historical art of many nations and/or empires, for the purpose of contemporary political movements, and of course, personal “unfinished identities”. This term is emphasized by Gilroy through his third and main topic in the introduction, to be todays “polemic”…”against the ethnic absolution that currently dominates black political culture” , that is, the fragmentations extracted  from the “rhizomorphic” (p.4), or many branches of cross roads in the “Black Atlantic”. If one is to extract only one part, or view point from the art, the rest may be lost and/or distorted, and may very well be in regard to Gilroy’s reflections on music such as jazz, hip-hop, and today’s youth. For example, if we extract from the cross roads in the center of this literary/visual art in the “Black Atlantic”, such as, “Turner’s extraordinary painting of the slave ship…” (p.16), it would leave the piece of art incomplete. Moreover, if one extracts/emphasizes only a part of Turner’s painting for the purpose of a self-identity crisis, the rest is lost and/or distorted, such as perhaps only playing off the negative horror and cruelty of humans being tossed in the ocean, thus neglecting the “useful image not only for its self-conscious moral power…” which “…aims directly for the sublime in its invocation of racial terror”, and causing one to miss the artist intent to emphasize the political injustice.  

      Perhaps some “professional cultural commentators, artist, writers, painters” poets, “as well as political leaders” (p.33), “black and white” (p.2,3), only focus on fragments of history and truth from the “Black Atlantic” cross roads of cultures and nations, thus distorting and disfiguring the truths of humans request for equality through unity. After this enlightening reading of Gilroy’s introduction, I am intrigued to read his book and hopeful to discover ways into which to express the need for equality through an understanding that we as humans have evolved into one “race”, so that we can unify and progress prosperously during our pursuit to happiness, love. In addition, as an artist in many fields, my insights of Gilroy’s introduction as a piece of art, gives foresight that Gilroy’s work will lead into a global realization of the struggle and inequities  in “Black Politics and Modernity” (p.29) that dictates today’s youth.