Responses to racism and other world issues - Emory Douglas style.
Part of the exhibition was set up like a classroom. School desks with books and magazines gave a deeper understanding of the movement and other related affairs.
A few weeks ago I was at the Urbis with Sam and James to see the Black Panther exhibition. The exhibition was extremely well put together. I was impressed not only by the content but also the way in which it had been constructed and displayed which made it easy to follow and understand as well as interesting to look at. The exhibition showcased the graphic artwork of Emory Douglas for the black panther movement during the late 60's and the history and meaning behind the black power salute - the controversial fist raising at the 1968 Mexican Olympic games.
Much of Douglas' work from the period aimed to compel African Americans to stand up for their rights and to become active members of the movement to stop racism and the civil unrest. Douglas understood the power of images in communicating ideas and his distinctive illustrative style using thick black lines and resourceful tint and texture combinations where vital to his success in portraying the conditions. His work made revolution seem necessary, giving a sense of power to those who felt powerless and victimized. The ideas put across in his work are easy to see and understand because of his bold and clever use of text and imagery to evoke emotive responses. He quickly became responsible for the design of the Black Panther's, Black community News Service (the official paper of the party) and used the papers popularity to inspire people to take action. I think what was most inspiring to me was the way in which he was able to motivate the normally disinterested people through simple cartoons that where often in just black and white. His slogans, "All power to the people" and "Revolution in our lifetime" and his use of pigs and rats for the first time to represent policemen and politicians were truly powerful persuasive devices that have stood the test of time and become part of everyday language. Douglas' knack for portraying the poor with genuine empathy as outraged, unapologetic and ready for a fight, played an influential part in the revolutionary movement. Although he is much less well-known I believe that his contribution had similar implications within communities as the great inspirational speeches of Martin Luther King.
In terms of how Douglas has inspired the way I think about my work is really the way in which his ideas and thought processes have been carefully realised to give maximum impact. Although it is a cliche, it has re-emphasized the importance that sometimes less is more and that words and imagery should always be considered wisely. As a designer or more importantly an advertiser I must constantly endeavor to understand the implications of the content in my design, which I have a tendency to overcomplicate because of a lack of confidence, perhaps.
At the end of the exhibition was the chance to create your own Emory Douglas inspired poster to be displayed on a wall, which I thought was a nice touch. It was to allow the public to get involved in voicing their opinions, as well as being a tribute to the artist. I didn't have time to do my own though :(
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