Lesson plan: All About Advertising Part 4: Romare Bearden

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the work of African American artist Romare Bearden. His work is pertinent to this lesson series because he is primarily known for his collages, most of which he created in the 1960s and 1970s. He created his collages from magazine ads and newspaper clippings depicting African Americans in a negative light, and transformed these depictions into works of art that celebrated African American culture. The students will look at several reproductions and work in small groups to complete a worksheet requiring them to evaluate one of these reproductions.

Grade level: 9th (can be adapted for other grade levels)

Supplies and materials: Paper, pencils, overhead projector, computer, LCD projector

Reproductions: To be color copied and laminated: a) Train Whistle Blues I (1964); b) Mysteries (1964); c) Cotton (1964); 110th Street (n.d.); d) The Street (1964). [note: if the teacher is able to locate photographs of Bearden himself, include those as well to supplement the class presentation]

• Students will become familiar with the work of Romare Bearden

• Students will listen to a brief art historical description of Romare Bearden and his work

• Students will respond critically to Bearden’s work orally and in writing

• Students will work either individually or cooperatively in small discussion groups

learning about Romare Bearden, an artist who created collages from newspaper and magazine ads, just as they had done.

The teacher will then give a brief art history lecture about Bearden to provide the students with some context, including the following basic facts:

• He was born September 2, 1911 in Charlotte, North Carolina

• His family moved to New York City in 1914

• He lived with his grandmother Cattie Bearden in Pittsburgh, PA from 1920 to 1929

• He moved back to New York City in 1930 to attend college, and he lives in New York City for most of the rest of his life

• He worked for the New York City Welfare Department from 1938 to 1965 to support himself and his wife, who he married in 1951

• He begins exhibiting his work in 1944, and his artistic career takes off 20 years later when his collages begin to attract notice

• From 1965 to beyond his death in 1988, Bearden’s work is shown in prestigious galleries and museums all over the world.

If the teacher has photographs or slides of Bearden, s/he may pass them around for students to look at during the lecture.

The teacher will then read to the students sections from “A Collage of Memories: Romare Bearden” by Jan Greenberg. In between sections, the teacher will ask students to describe and interpret selected reproductions.

The educator will then distribute additional copies of the book or color copies of the reproductions to the students. The students will have the opportunity to work individually or in groups on a worksheet requiring the students to describe and interpret the works.

Questions on the worksheet may include:

1) Describe the subject matter of the work.

2) What can you learn about African American culture at the time the work was created?

3) What in the work is factual, and what is fictional? What led you to your conclusion?

4) List five questions about the work that begin with the word "Why".

5) List five questions about the work that begin with the work "What".

6) Answer at least three of these questions.