Harlem Collaboration...
At the height of the Harlem Renaissance, artists, writers, dancers, musicians, activists, philosophers, and patrons attended the same parties, frequented the same clubs, shared creative spaces, and lived on the same streets. They also influenced, encouraged, challenged, and inspired one another's creative and intellectual pursuits. In this activity, you will explore the many complex relationships between the pivotal Harlem Renaissance figures and some of the enduring works that resulted from these associations.
Look for specific examples of collaboration, influence, and patronage among your figures of the Harlem Renaissance.
Activity
Assignment:
1. Collaboration:
2. Research a real collaboration with your person: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/interactives/harlem/faces/index.html.
3. Individually, develop a statement regarding the role that collaboration, influence, and support played in the Harlem Renaissance.
Look for specific examples of collaboration, influence, and patronage among your figures of the Harlem Renaissance.
- Collaboration = what two or more people accomplish together.
- Influence = one persons effect on another person.
- Patronage = the support (e.g., stipends, awards) provided to individuals by those who want them to succeed.
Activity
- Each Student will be assigned a prominent figure from the Harlem Renaissance
- students will familiarize themselves with their figure and then answer a series of questions.
- Students will then circulate the room to find one or several other figures with whom their person worked with or collaborated with
- once students make a connection, they will collaborate on a project incorporating the strengths/ideals of all people involved.
Assignment:
1. Collaboration:
- Decide on a fictional collaboration that could have occurred between these two individuals.
- Write/create a dialogue between these individuals, in which they discuss similarities and differences in their artistic styles and/or political beliefs. They should also discuss their reasons for working together and their hopes for the collaboration.
- Create a work that incorporates the styles/techniques/ideas of both artists/scholars. The final product could take the form of a dance, music composition, poem, article/essay, visual artwork, or drama. Each artist/scholar's contribution to the final work should be readily identifiable.
2. Research a real collaboration with your person: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/interactives/harlem/faces/index.html.
- Who did they collaborate with in real life?
- Describe the collaboration.
3. Individually, develop a statement regarding the role that collaboration, influence, and support played in the Harlem Renaissance.