Walk Together Children: The Poetry of Harvey Johnson with Tribute to John Biggers
November 6-21, 2009 William Reaves Fine Art
WALK TOGETHER CHILDREN: The Poetry of Harvey Johnson With Tribute To John Biggers
The last twenty-five years have seen a patrons to consider the contributions of resurgence of interest in early Texas art and African-American artists in mid-twentieth artists. This renaissance century Texas by in early Texas art has been experiencing the works nurtured by advances of two of Houston’s most in scholarship, growth important artists of that in public exhibition time, Harvey Johnson and and collection-building John Biggers. Johnson in the field. William and Biggers were among Reaves Fine Art is proud the earliest Africanto play a small role in American artists in the this rediscovery and restate to produce and examination of historically exhibit art which dealt significant art in our with concerns, customs state. We believe that and ancestral folkways our gallery’s work in of black Texans. They documenting Texas art were leading figures in a from the middle decades different mode of Texas 47. Biggers, Family Ark of the twentieth century is particularly regionalism, that of African-American important, as the post-war period is gaining regionalism. In the 60s and 70s, their renewed appreciation as a time of dynamic concentration on African-American subject growth and creative divergence in the matter made their work new and different visual arts in Texas. Texas artists working to the Texas art scene. However, it was from the late-40s through the 70s are just their integration of an African aesthetic now beginning to receive their due, and through which to convey deeper spiritual their myriad contributions to regional and and ancestral intimacies of the black national art only now being recognized. experience in Texas (and in the South) This belated recognition seems particularly that profoundly set their work apart from true for African-American artists who were their regionalist counterparts of the 30s at work in mid-century Texas. and 40s. Johnson and Biggers began their relationship in 1966 as teacher and In this exhibition, Walk Together student, but over the thirty years that Children: The Poetry of Harvey Johnson ensued, they pursued a creative journey with Tribute to John Biggers, we invite together as colleagues and collaborators. 1
Through their art, they perfected a distinctive African-American iconography, a symbolic language which they applied with competence and sensitivity to create a poetic body of work translating the culture and spirituality of the African-American family in Texas.
five year academic career, working almost always under conditions which were more than challenging. As a teacher and mentor, Biggers nurtured and inspired an impressive cadre of art colleagues and students, leaving an indelible imprint on those whose lives he touched. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Biggers This show concentrates primarily on was prolific as a studio artist, producing the work of Harvey Johnson, the surviving an extensive oeuvre of sculpture, prints, member of this artistic duo drawings, paintings and and represents the most murals which offer some comprehensive exhibition of the most poignant yet mounted of his and compelling images extraordinary expressions. ever created of AfricanHowever, in Johnson’s mind American peoples. His as well as our own, it is career has been extensively not possible to consider his reviewed and documented own work without reflecting through numerous museum upon John Biggers and his exhibitions and scholarly unique contributions to publications. Noteworthy Texas (and American) art, among these is the seminal as well as his influence on traveling exhibition and the life and art of Harvey related catalog entitled Johnson. And thus, as a The Art of John Biggers: tribute to John Biggers and 4. Johnson, What will Tomorrow Bring? View from the Upper Room as a reminder of his lasting contributions which was edited and curated by Houston’s to art in Texas, we show a suite of original own Alvia Wardlaw. There is little that prints from his time in Houston. we can add to the excellent research and informed scholarship offered by Wardlaw Had Biggers not come to Houston and others, except to reinforce Biggers’ in 1949 to develop the art department at groundbreaking presence in our state as the Texas State University for Negroes artist and educator. (later Texas Southern University), our state may never have cultivated the Biggers was the first African-American native talents of a generation of then artist in Texas to not only enter juried young African American artists such as museum exhibitions, but also to receive Harvey Johnson. At Texas Southern, purchase awards. He was ahead of his time Biggers built a proud and accomplished in his consideration of the African continent art program over a distinguished thirtyas an historical and sociological source for 2
subsequent publication of Ananse. A native Texan, Johnson was born in Port Arthur in 1947. He was raised in the shadows of oil refineries in this East Texas industrial town by a mother who encouraged his childhood interest in the arts, and saw to it that he was firmly entrenched in the local church. Beyond his own mother, Johnson’s earliest and most significant art influence was his high school art teacher, Willie Moore. Moore, now a Houston painter and writer, had been among the first generation of art students recruited to the Texas Southern University art program by John Biggers. Having assumed a teaching position at Port Arthur’s Lincoln High School upon his graduation from TSU, Moore immediately assessed Harvey Johnson’s talent and ambition. He not only gave instruction and encouragement to the budding young artist, but also introduced him to John Biggers and the art program of Texas Southern University.
interpreting Southern Black culture. Long before Alex Haley and the movie Roots, Biggers was interested in Africa as a place and as a society through which to trace and illuminate the folkways and cultural mores of Southern Blacks. From Houston, he traveled to West Africa in 1957, placing himself among the earliest American artists of African descent to travel to the continent. In 1962, he wrote Ananse: The 5. Johnson, Transformation Web of Life in Africa, which was published by The University of Texas Press to great critical acclaim, and further established Biggers as one of the few American authors of the period to illustrate and write about African culture. Throughout his tenure in Houston, Biggers continued to record images of African life and folkways in his own art work, increasingly incorporating archetypical images into his compositions. He began to set down a symbolic language in his art work which at once gave rich narrative, visual interest and poetic harmony to his renderings. In making and teaching art, he paved the way for a younger generation of Texas artists, including Harvey Johnson, to express their African heritage and to share their unique cultural perspective in the work that they produced.
Johnson felt an immediate connection with Biggers during their first meetings and determined to pursue his formal art studies at TSU to work under his tutelage. He entered the university in 1966, completing his undergraduate degree in art in 1971. At Biggers’ suggestion, Johnson enrolled immediately at Washington State University to continue with graduate study. While at Washington State, he completed
Harvey Johnson arrived at Texas Southern University several years after Biggers journey to Africa, and his 3
Americans. His art also reflects his own his master’s thesis entitled A Black Aesthetic. This became a research interest grounding in the church and his subject which Johnson pursued throughout his own matter is frequently inspired by his love for Negro spirituals, which he holds as a thirty-year academic career, as well as an artistic pursuit that he shared with Biggers sacred entity and motivating force within the African-American community. His over the duration of their time together drawings from the late 60s and early 70s as faculty colleagues at TSU. Upon demonstrate his facility as a draftsman completion of his MFA in 1973, Johnson returned to Houston to join Biggers on the and show early symbolic tendencies. faculty at TSU, where he remained until his These early drawings are deftly conveyed in beautifully flowing, richly imbued retirement in 2007. In 1977, Johnson was charcoals or conté. awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship to extend his research on African-American The representational nature of crafts. Through the Ford grant, Johnson Johnson’s later work reflects his mature traveled over 4200 miles through Texas style of symbolic expressionism. Through and Louisiana, locating African-American these later works, the artist increasingly craftsmen, observing and documenting employs African imagery their traditional ancestral embodied in Negro crafts and collecting spirituals as an artistic examples of these for language through which exhibit at the university. to tell Texas inspired He received additional stories of Africanuniversity research grants American families. for similar purposes While his expressions in 1980 and 1989, and bear a kindred message in 1991-92, the artist to those of his colleague made his own journey and mentor, Biggers, to Africa, traveling to Johnson’s style is Sierra Leone to further entirely his own. As illuminate his studies with Biggers, his later on African-American paintings and drawings crafts and document their are richly layered with connection to ancestral 22. Johnson, Dawn is Here this symbolism. Johnson African arts. incorporates common objects into his Along with his teaching and research, work as a means of telling his stories or conveying his message. Aside from Johnson continued to produce and show creating visual interest, these wash pots, art. Throughout his career, his work has shown an ongoing concern for the cultural row houses, boats and tools represent elements in his system of symbols, visual aesthetics of the everyday life of African4
elements laden with multiple meanings. His works are frequently punctuated with fish, turtles, birds and other small animals, and these are often infused in flowing waters utilized by the artist to explore man’s connection with and harmony with nature. Throughout his career, the quality of Johnson’s draftsmanship and his prowess in composition are evident. His use of color and application of paint are superb. He produces masterful images of great beauty and of deep personal meaning.
Johnson make a statement for his place among Texas and American masters. Through the works shown here, viewers may explore the art which these Texas artists created over their years together and which Johnson continues to perfect in his creation of sensitive Texas narratives conveyed though the eyes of an AfricanAmerican poet. Enjoy and appreciate!
Johnson’s works have been frequently exhibited, appearing in numerous museums including the Huntsville Museum of Fine Art in Huntsville, Alabama, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In addition he has shown at university exhibitions on the campuses of Texas Southern University, Alabama State University and The University of Houston. He received one-man exhibitions at the City of Port Arthur (1982) and the Black Heritage Gallery in Houston (1986). William Reaves Fine Art is pleased to host this signature show of Harvey Johnson’s work, his first major exhibition in over twenty years. In our exhibition, thirty-six of Johnson’s best works are enriched by a selection of a dozen prints from his mentor and colleague, John Biggers. Fortunately, Biggers has attained his rightful acknowledgement as one of America’s great artists of the twentieth century. In this show, the works of Harvey
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-William Reaves
“Walk Together Children” Dedicated to all young people and the journey they Must endure for the survival of this planet. An Artist’s Statement by Harvey Johnson
I am a seed from a mother and father and life. An example of this can be heard of the Southern soil of Texas and a child in the spiritual, “We are Climbing Jacob’s of African roots. As I emerged from the Ladder.” Spirituals and nature embraces oil fields of Port Arthur into the urban healing and renewal. setting of Houston, I discovered how I fit into the rich Texas quilted pattern My poetry tries to express a continuous of cultural diversity. This diversity, this journey of healing – healing generated contrast of Native, within me with the African, Mexican, assistance of Spirit, Caucasian, and African ancestors, a Asian peoples have parental matriarch, all helped to create and elders. They a Texas “aesthetic,” all provided access and contributes allowing for the to a rich vision for discovery of personal Texas prosperity. identity, purpose My poetry speaks and meaning of my of African spirituals existence as a part or what continues of what I call a triple to be referred to as “middle passage.” 1 “Negro Spirituals.” A young African The first middle student at Key Middle passage is the journey School in Houston, of an immaculate Texas, stated that conception as we come 26. Johnson, Didn’t it Rain? spirituals are “secret into this life through messages in song about God.” It is the the boat of heaven that is the sacred womb most profound and sophisticated meaning of all mothers. For months, our mothers of these songs I have ever read or heard. of “The Father and The Son” navigate us I feel African spirituals and nature have in her holy sanctuary through the many given us a complex meaning of the sacred fires of life as we finally emerge into the laws governing the order of the universe in light. Life is not about safety however its ever evolving cycles of life and death and some of us do not make it. I feel that 6
some of us return to that unfrozen reality, the invisible. Our mother’s heartbeat to us, like the rhythmic beat of the drum, is the “Word,” the first communication to us of the articulation of language and civilization.
We live in an environment where myths about ourselves have become the norm, have become realities. These myths are used as a frame of reference for our very existence. We have become prisoners to a history of our own The second making. I feel that middle passage poetry encourages echoes these words an awakening of our from a spiritual, senses by expressing “Ev’-ry-bo-dy talkhow the language of in’ ‘bout heab’n nature puts an end aint goin’ dere…” to all human myths This speaks to and forces us back to the transatlantic reality. Earth, wind, slave trade and its fire, water, minerals, ramifications to and animals speak this present day, to us, trying to bring a holocaust of us closer together. 31. Johnson, The Anointed unmerciful human Nature forces us to pillage and destruction. I hope my poetry see that many of our fears and insecurities expresses a compassion, which we all come from the inner unsolved struggles we must have, for other people whose grief is are having about ourselves, which many just as deep about their holocaust. A great times we transfer to others. As I share my American author said, “History is not the journey with you, I hope that you focus on past…history is the present.” And I will add your own journey. that history is also the future. I feel good about the energy of our The third middle passage is youth. They seem to be aware that jobs about human transformation, not only and careers do not define success and the ultimately from body to spirit literally, but spirit of their being. “Your ability to see transforming human and environmental is always a delusion of what you see, and abuse into positive spirituality and what you see, is usually a translation of humaneness. I hope my poetry stimulates your own limitation at seeing until you are consciousness to awaken each of us to the taught how to see…it’s an introduction into purpose for which we came into this world that area of silence where meaning exist or were born into this life. independently of human extortion and it is an introduction into that area of human 7
experience where it is possible at least to reconstruct one’s history going beyond one’s birth into a timeless moment where one can see one’s self as much older as one look in order to be able to understand why one occurred in this particular time and what for.”2 Poetry is one of many visionary expressions that can inspire, to help us stay in touch with the silent language of our souls in keeping with the rhythmic balance and harmony of nature as it moves toward a greater scheme of creation. You may wonder whether this is all there is to being here in this life. It is if this is the limitation of your thinking, feelings and emotions. Nature is the key to teaching us about unlimited doorways connecting us to a cosmic conception and journey. Our young people have the opportunity to create new worlds of spiritual values which can define us as true human beings.
40. Johnson, The Other Shore
I don’t know anything else more important. In the spirit of the Negro Spiritual, let us all “Walk Together Children.”
1 Poetry in this context refers to visual, musical, dance, literary, and theatric expressions that address the what, where, when, how, and why of human existence. It replaces the term “art” for a deeper meaning of the human journey. 2 Malidoma Some’, African Shaman of Burkina Faso, West Africa.
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Artist Bio: Harvey Johnson Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1947, Born in Port Arthur, Texas, currently lives in Houston • 1971, Texas Southern University, Houston, Bachelor of Arts in Education • 1972, Birth of daughter, Ayann N. Johnson, Washington • 1973, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, Masters of Fine Arts • 1977, Ford Foundation Grant to conduct research on African-American crafts • 1978, Birth of son, Amon O. Johnson, Houston, Texas • 1991 – 1992, Three month trip to Sierra Leone, West Africa to conduct research in continuation of project entitled A Black Aesthetic • 1973 – 2007, Professor, Art Department, Texas Southern University Selected Exhibitions • 1978, Progressive Cultural Exhibit, Beaumont, Texas • 1979, Contemporary Art Museum, Fire/000 Texas Artists, Houston, Texas • 1982, One man exhibit, honored by City of Port Arthur, Texas-Library Division, Port Arthur, Texas • 1986, Regional Competitive Exhibitor, Texas Annual 1986, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, Texas • 1986, The Sixth Annual Atlanta Life Natural Art Competition and Exhibition (1st Prize Award in drawing) • 1986, One man exhibit at the Black Heritage Gallery, Houston • 1989, Included in Masters Choice exhibition of five leading artists from the Art League of Houston. Masters chose their best protégé, selected by John Biggers. • 1993, Included in exhibition entitled “I Remember” Thirty years after the March on Washington: Images of the Civil Rights Movement 1963-1993, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. 9
Selected Murals • 1997, Collaboration with John Biggers on the mural Salt Marsh, The University of Houston – Downtown, Houston, Texas • 1999, Collaboration with John Biggers on the mural Nubia, Texas Southern University’s School of Business, Houston, Texas • 1999, Co-authored manuscript with John Biggers entitled Nubia • 2003, Mural All God’s Chillun Got Wings, Community Center, Houston, Texas Selected Major Collections • Golden State Mutual Insurance, Permanent Collection, Los Angeles, California • Texas Southern University, Permanent Collection, Houston, Texas • Mrs. Susan McAshan, Civic Benefactor and Art Patron, Houston, Texas • Dr. John Biggers, Houston, Texas
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Exhibition Checklist Artist Title
1. Johnson 2. Johnson 3. Johnson 4. Johnson 5. Johnson 6. Johnson 7. Johnson 8. Johnson 9. Johnson 10. Johnson 11. Johnson 12. Johnson 13. Johnson 14. Johnson 15. Johnson 16. Johnson 17. Johnson 18. Johnson 19. Johnson 20. Johnson 21. Johnson 22. Johnson 23. Johnson 24. Johnson 25. Johnson 26. Johnson 27. Johnson 28. Johnson 29. Johnson 30. Johnson 31. Johnson 32. Johnson 33. Johnson 34. Johnson 35. Johnson 36. Johnson
Sphinx Until the World is Free …I’ve Known Rivers What will Tomorrow Bring? Transformation Kindred Spirits Battle Royale West Winds The Egg and the Sword Let the Circle be Unbroken Maternity Spirit of Fastac Sanctuary Accusers The Old Ship of Zion The Tree of Knowledge Washer Woman Maternity Roots Three Generations Double Dutch Bust Dawn is Here Trilogy I Trilogy II Trilogy III Didn’t it Rain? The Holy Family Drinking Gourds A Son of Light Walk Together Children The Anointed The Cleansing The Burying Ground Ezekiel Saw the Wheel Redemption The Gift
Date
1967 1968 1968/69 1969 1969/70 1970 1971 1971 1972 1977 1977 1979 c. 1980s c. 1980s 1982 1984 1985/86 1985/86 1989 c. 1990s c. 1990s c. 1990s c. 1990s c. 1990s c. 1990s 1992 1994 1998 c. 2000 c. 2000 c. 2000 2006 2008 2008 2008 2009 11
Medium
conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/cardboard conté/paper conté/paper acrylic/canvas ink/paper acrylic conté/paper crayon/paper conté/paper conté/paper acrylic/board acrylic/board conté/paper acrylic/canvas conté/paper acrylic/canvas scratch board scratch board scratch board acrylic/canvas conté/paper wax crayon conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper conté/paper acrylic/board
Size
14 x 16 24 x 18 36 x 24 40 x 26 26 x 39 39 x 26 16 x 12.5 40 x 26 39 x 26 30 x 40 24 x 14 30 x 50 34 x 22 20 x 37 21.5 x 30.5 17.5 x 10.5 48 x 24 48 x 24 24 x 18 20 x 24 24 x 18 40 x 30 6 x 5 5x6 6 x 5 30 x 24 22.5 x 28 24 x 18.5 26 x 20 24 x 18 28 x 23 18 x 24 26 x 20 24 x 18 26 x 20 24 x 11
Artist
Title
Walk Together Children Renewal The Holy Number The Other Shore Learning to Read (2nd ed., 25/40) Frustration/Seeking (1/3) Heads of Maternity (AP #1) Morning is Here, No Dawn (AP #1) Family Ark Triptych Morning Star-Evening Star Diptcyh Family Ark (47/60) The Return (#1 AP) Dau Fuskie Race (31/200) Hazel (2nd ed., 9/65) The Four Sisters (2nd ed., 20/75) Up Above My Head (2nd ed., 20/75)
37. Johnson 38. Johnson 39. Johnson 40. Johnson 41. Biggers 42. Biggers 43. Biggers 44. Biggers 45. Biggers 46. Biggers 47. Biggers 48. Biggers 49. Biggers 50. Biggers 51. Biggers 52. Biggers
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Date
2009 2009 2009 n/d n/d 1952 1952 1965 1992 1992 1992 1997 1998 2000 2000 2000
Medium
acrylic/canvas acrylic/canvas contĂŠ/paper acrylic/canvas lithograph lithograph lithograph lithograph lithograph lithograph lithograph etching lithograph woodcut lino-cut lino-cut
Size
36 x 36 20 x 24 39 x 26 20 x 26 19.5 x 25.5 12.5 x 9.5 12 x 14 24 x 18 29.5 x 49.5 29.5 x 14 29.5 x 21.5 18 x 12.75 15.25 x 19.75 25.75 x 19.75 11 x 15 11 x 15
1. Johnson, Sphinx, 1967, conté/paper, 14 x 16
2. Johnson, Until the World is Free, 1968, conté/paper, 24 x 18 13
3. Johnson, …I’ve Known Rivers, 1968/69, conté/paper, 36 x 24
4. Johnson, What will Tomorrow Bring?, 1969, conté/paper, 40 x 26 14
5. Johnson, Transformation, 1969/70, contĂŠ/paper, 26 x 39
6. Johnson, Kindred Spirits, 1970, contĂŠ/paper, 39 x 26 15
7. Johnson, Battle Royale , 1971, conté/cardboard, 16 x 12.5
8. Johnson, West Winds, 1971, conté/paper, 40 x 26 16
9. Johnson, The Egg and the Sword, 1972, contĂŠ/paper, 39 x 26
10. Johnson, Let the Circle be Unbroken, 1977, acrylic/canvas, 30 x 40 17
11. Johnson, Maternity, 1977, ink/paper, 24 x 14
12. Johnson, Spirit of Fastac, 1979, acrylic, 30 x 50 18
13. Johnson, Sanctuary, c. 1980s, contĂŠ/paper, 34 x 22
14. Johnson, Accusers, c. 1980s, crayon/paper, 20 x 37 19
15. Johnson, The Old Ship of Zion, 1982, conté/paper, 21.5 x 30.5
16. Johnson, The Tree of Knowledge, 1984, conté/paper, 17.5 x 10.5
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17. Johnson, Washer Woman, 1985/86, acrylic/board, 48 x 24
18. Johnson, Maternity, 1985/86, acrylic/board, 48 x 24 21
19. Johnson, Roots, 1989, contĂŠ/paper, 24 x 18
20. Johnson, Three Generations , c. 1990s, acrylic/canvas, 20 x 24 22
21. Johnson, Double Dutch Bust, c. 1990s, contĂŠ/paper, 24 x 18
22. Johnson, Dawn is Here, c. 1990s, acrylic/canvas, 40 x 30 23
23. Johnson, Trilogy I, c. 1990s, scratch board, 6 x 5
24. Johnson, Trilogy II, c. 1990s, scratch board, 5 x 6
25. Johnson, Trilogy III, c. 1990s, scratch board, 6 x 5 24
26. Johnson, Didn’t it Rain?, 1992, acrylic/canvas, 30 x 24
27. Johnson, The Holy Family, 1994, conté/paper, 22.5 x 28 25
28. Johnson, Drinking Gourds, 1998, wax crayon, 24 x 18.5
29. Johnson, A Son of Light, c. 2000, contĂŠ/paper, 26 x 20 26
30. Johnson, Walk Together Children, c. 2000, contĂŠ/paper, 24 x 18
31. Johnson, The Anointed, c. 2000, contĂŠ/paper, 28 x 23 27
32. Johnson, The Cleansing, 2006, contĂŠ/paper, 18 x 24
33. Johnson, The Burying Ground, 2008, contĂŠ/paper, 26 x 20 28
34. Johnson, Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, 2008, conté/paper, 24 x 18
36. Johnson, The Gift, 2009, acrylic/board, 24 x 11
35. Johnson, Redemption, 2008, conté/paper, 26 x 20 29
37. Johnson, Walk Together Children, 2009, acrylic/canvas, 36 x 36
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38. Johnson, Renewal, 2009, acrylic/canvas, 20 x 24
39. Johnson, The Holy Number, 2009, contĂŠ/paper, 39 x 26
40. Johnson, The Other Shore, n/d, acrylic/canvas, 20 x 26 31
41. Biggers, Learning to Read (2nd ed., 25/40), n/d, lithograph, 19.5 x 25.5
42. Biggers, Frustration/Seeking (1/3), 1952, lithograph, 12.5 x 9.5 32
43. Biggers, Heads of Maternity (AP #1), 1952, lithograph, 12 x 14
44. Biggers, Morning is Here, No Dawn (AP #1), 1965, lithograph, 24 x 18 33
45. Biggers, Family Ark Triptych, 1992, lithograph, 29.5 x 49.5
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46. Biggers, Morning Star-Evening Star Diptcyh, 1992, lithograph, 29.5 x 14
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47. Biggers, Family Ark (47/60), 1992, lithograph, 29.5 x 21.5
48. Biggers, The Return (#1 AP), 1997, etching, 18 x 12.75 36
49. Biggers, Dau Fuskie Race (31/200), 1998, lithograph, 15.25 x 19.75
50. Biggers, Hazel (2nd ed., 9/65), 2000, woodcut, 25.75 x 19.75 37
51. Biggers, The Four Sisters (2nd ed., 20/75), 2000, lino-cut, 11 x 15
52. Biggers, Up Above My Head (2nd ed., 20/75), 2000, lino-cut, 11 x 15 38
Houston’s Gallery for Early Texas Art 2313 Brun Street • Houston, Texas 77019 • (713) 521-7500 • www.reavesart.com