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.
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