Black Art and Culture in the 20th Century.

Black Art and Culture in the 20th Century. Richard J. Powell. New York: Thames & Hudson, (800 2334830), distributed by W.W. Norton & Company, 1996. Illus., 256 pp., paperback $14.95.

These two recent additions to the outstanding World of Art Series of books that focus on important artists, art movements, and cultures both deserve space on secondary and university level art studio and/or history classrooms in our multicultural age, culture, and nation. The book on Caribbean art is full-to-bursting with full-color images of vibrant art by unknown Caribbean artists who deserve our attention. Identity is noted as the cardinal issue in modern and contemporary Caribbean art, which is complex and difficult to define due to the diversity of its geographical, historical, intellectual and general cultural backgrounds.

Primarily about twentieth-century art, including such familiar names as Wilfredo Lam, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Ana Mendieta, the author also discusses Pre-hispanic and Colonial Caribbean Art.

The second publication addresses the need to survey the Black Diaspora Arts (defined as the things that significant numbers of black individuals do) and aesthetics of the twentieth century. Powell, a professor of both African and American Art History at Duke University, presents a scholarly, objective and intelligent overview of black art and culture. While the emphasis is on visual art, sections on the Harlem Renaissance and other events pay tribute to the literary arts as well. 176 illustrations familiarize readers with the creative output of significant black artists. These include painters Sam Gilliam, Lois Mailou Jones, and Jacob Lawrence; sculptors Richard Hunt, Martin Puryear, and Allison Saar; photographers James Van Der Zee and Gordon Parks; printmakers Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden, and many more.

These two books represent a major contribution to knowledge about artists of color, and are recommended for high school and beyond.