ROMARE BEARDEN
The Master of Collage
1911-1988
Charlotte, NC
COLLAGE- a piece of art made by
sticking various different materials
such as photographs and pieces of
paper or fabric onto a backing.
- Graduated from NYU with a
graduate degree in Education
- Took courses in art, lead
cartoonist, art editor & director of
monthly magazines
- Costume & set designer for a
dance company
- Studied Art History and
Philosophy in Paris
Visual Jazz
Art & Music
Short Clip 1
1930s-1960s Bearden was a social
worker with the New York City
Department of Social Services,
working on his art at night and on
weekends.
-First solo show in Washington D.C.
in 1944
-Exhibited in U.S. and Europe
- Early work focused on unity and
cooperation within the African
American community.
His artworks are memories from his past in Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Harlem and show
a variety historical, literary and musical sources.
He was strongly influenced by a
movement called the Harlem Renaissance
that took place in the 1920s.
It was a time when African-American
musicians, writers, and artists
flourished in Harlem.
In the early 1970s, he and his wife made a second home on the
Caribbean island of St. Martin, his wife's ancestral home, and
some of his later work reflected the island's lush landscapes.
- Bearden was also a respected
writer and an eloquent
spokesman on artistic and
social issues of the day.
- Lifelong supporter of young,
emerging artists, created the
Bearden Foundation to
support young or emerging
artists and scholars.
Artists & Harlem Renaissance
He experimented with many different mediums and artistic styles,
but is best known for his richly textured collages.
modern collage
Derek Gores
Romare Bearden died in New York City on March 12, 1988
due to complications from bone cancer.
Charlotte at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Main Library (310 N. Tryon Street), just inside the
doors is one of the strongest mosaic treasures in the region - "Before Dawn"
Romare Bearden Park