[NativeTongue]

Just wanted to know if people thought the Arts ( Painting, Theatre , Dance , Sculpture etc ) held any relevance to the Black Community , or do you think they are the luxury for the rich and moneyed classes and held no relevance to the 'struggle' of the ordinary man.

[Niani]

NativeTongue wrote:

Just wanted to know if people thought the Arts ( Painting, Theatre , Dance , Sculpture etc ) held any relevance to the Black Community , or do you think they are the luxury for the rich and moneyed classes and held no relevance to the 'struggle' of the ordinary man.

Yes the arts are very relevant to the Black Community. The arts in every culture has been a part of that groups evolvement and development. The arts have always been used to tell stories, to enlighten, to motivate and generally enrich a community/culture. There are dances, songs, sculptures, paintings, stories, 'plays' that have been and still are a part of the global Afrikan community. The amount of money one has has nothing to do with it.

[All C-in]

Niani wrote:

You are absolutely right! The amount of money a person has has nothing to do with it. If it were then the Harlem Renaissance would not have been possible. Personally I feel that some of the best artworks were done by ppl who were in poor situations financially and socially.

[Abissinia]

Niani wrote:

NativeTongue wrote:

[line]


Agreed...

So many of us fail to appreciate the close ties the arts has to community issues, which is expressed through poetry, theatre, music, dance, drama… etc… During apartheid in South Africa and the Civil Rights movement in America black theatres were used for lectures, community meetings, study groups etc…

I try and take my god son and his brother to a museum, art gallery, plays etc… as much as I can, he is a very smart 6 years old boy with a hunger for learning which unfortunately his parents don’t realize… they actually think it’s a white thing to do confused3.

[Bredder Tukoma]

As a lyamn I would say that any succesful civilisation or culture needs its own arts.

Our own arts by the way. Not growing up to admire white Piccasso paintings/ or Greek Architecture/ or West End plays which have no relevance to Africans within this society. Just because someone may appreciate classical music doesnt make them anymore cultured than a Blacks person who doesnt. Alot of Black people speak about being "cultured"because they go to a few west end plays and like to see a bunch of emasculated men wearing tights dancing like a fairy queen.

Not my scene or something I will ever promote.

We need our own plays/dramas/ artists/ our own theatre/ sculpture/ etc to reflect our specific UK and home country experuience. Not to revel and be smitten by European arts/

So no Native Tongue/ for me its not about the working man blah blah/ its just that what they have holds no interest for me. Show me a well produced play/ drama/ or painting of Black people's struggle wheverer but especially within the Uk then Im all ears.

After all isnt the purpose of art to re-enforce/ inform and define culture.

Yes i would say its a definate neccesity. Its through the arts that we can enforce cultural norms and taboos is it not. Just like Cornation Street/ or maddam tassauds does for the wider society.

@Abissinia

Alot of these museums present data in a Eurocentric way. Even if the info is good I can understand your friends parents reluctance if you are taking their sons to white plays etc etc. Why bamboozle the boy with white society/ when he gets that 24/7 anyway. If you are talking Black plays etc.. then I take back my talk.

[Abissinia]

mansamusa wrote:

@Abissinia

Alot of these museums present data in a Eurocentric way. Even if the info is good I can understand your friends parents reluctance if you are taking their sons to white plays etc etc. Why bamboozle the boy with white society/ when he gets that 24/7 anyway. If you are talking Black plays etc.. then I take back my talk.

[line]

That's exactly what i am saying, i take them to see black plays... which we have quite a few in London, you just have to look for it.

And the parents don't objectto it for the reasons you specified, they actually just think anything out of the norm which is school, movies, playstaion games:Pand theoccasional trip to the park in the summer is all a child needs :?. Unfortunately for them my god son is very smart and has lots of questions and a thrust for knowledge...

I do know that museumspresent their data in Eurocentric way, and quite convincingly i might add...Visited the British museuma few months back with an African historian... who spent thewhole day taking us throughthe Nubian and Kemit gallery... whichwas an absolute eye opener even small detailsofremoving paint fromaround the African noseto make it appear European... nothing escaped the mansnotice.Now i can take my friends, family etc and make them see the displaysin Afrocentric way.

[notebook]

I am a lover of the Arts, plays,museums,theratre,painting. etc. It play an important role in the black community. It nourish our well-being and educate us as a whole on the culture.

[Aryek]

Art is very important for the development of the black community. However, we need to make sure that our art is an expression of our experience and our people and not others. In Toronto, there is a black poet called Dwayne Morgan who is amazing. Eventhough all people can appreciate his poetry, the message in these poems are very relevant to black people and our experience. I think this is the kind of art we need in our communities.

[LadyDay]

blue mountain theatre are one of my fave theatre groups. seeing the performance live is better though seeing it on dvd is good too. get bnare jokes and most of the talk is done in patois occasioning some english. in fact i prefer plays in patois as to me they have more character

http://www.bluemountaintheatre.com/

noticed they have updated their website as their latest play is based around lady saw's song "I got your man"

and yes arts are big in the black community. unsung artist other than musicians and entertainers artist WAK etc