From Realism through the postmodern Era DB 2

Michael Ray is one of the postmodern Era DB 2 artists that have risen up to become one of the best artist-painter in the 21st century. He is an African-American and a painter. He was born in Louisiana- Lafayette in 1976 and pursued his studies at St. Martinville senior school graduating in the year 1985 (Baciagalupi & Kern-Foxworth, 1997). Upon graduating, Ray joined McNeese state university and later took a designing and advertising course and later went for a bachelor’s degree in film and arts graduating in 1989. He continued with his academics and attained Masters in Film and Arts in 1993. He acquired his masters from University of Houston in Texas and straight away began teaching at the Texas University in Austin. Currently, Raya is a professor of arts and he still teaches at the Texas University under the department of art and art history. His family lives in Austin (PBS. 2012). Ray’s star in painting and art began to shine in 2001 when he showcased his artist. He has also been nominated and recognized as one of the best future black American professional to excel in his works. Apart from this, Ray has featured in many publications and magazines and even appointed to serve as a panelist in various gatherings.

The overall theme of the artists in his paintings and piece of art is about the historical injustices that black Americans were subjected to by the whites (Michael, 2012). Most of his paintings delve on the racial stereotypes that continue to manifest in the American society through media, advertisement and other forms like commercial advertisement, television programmes and many others.

One of the paintings or rather artistic works of Michael is known as Toys R Us. This painting illustrates a small girl crawling on her hands and knees. This painting was completed in 1997. It is painted on a piece of paper A4 size paper. The colour used in the painting is brown. The subject matter of the painting is about racial discrimination and stereotypes subjected to the Africa Americans. The content of the paintings portray the status of black Americans (Latrisa, Liuba, Ayesha & Michael, 2012). The piggy hole in the head of the girls depicts the inferiority of African compared to the whites. The style that Michael adopted in conveying the message is indirect. He uses symbolism to lash at the whites who still show racial discrimination and stereotypes to the black Americans (Cohen, 1998). He sends out a message to the entire population of whites that whether black or white they are all human beings and therefore they all require respect. The colour of their skin should not be used to segregate them and make them to be looked down upon.

The painting is communicating and sending out his feelings and thoughts about racial segregation in the United States. He is against the habits that the whites continue to exhibit indirectly through their advertisements and television commercials. This work reveals the current or rather contemporary concerns of the black Americans. Even though this racial segregation is not directly exhibited, it is happening even if blacks are not identifying this (Steven, 2012). The paintings are used to demonstrate this. The painting shows a hole in the forehead of the painting and this demonstrates how the whites views and looks at the blacks. For instance, even when African blacks excel in an area, the whites try as much as they can to find negatives in them. They are not happy and are willing to be led by the whites due to the problem of racial discrimination and stereotype.

References

Baciagalupi, D., &Kern-Foxworth, M. (1997). “An Interview with Michael Ray Charles,” Michael Ray Charles: An American Artist’s Work. Houston: Blaffer Art Gallery.

Cohen, R. (1998). “Painting Race.” http://www.weeklywire.com/ww/10-27- 97/austin_arts_feature1.html. Accessed: September 17 2012

Latrisa, N., Liuba, C., Ayesha, C., & Michael, C. (2012). African American history through the arts by Michael Ray Charles. Retrieved from: http://cghs.dadeschools.net/african-american/twentieth_century/mrcharles.htm

Michael Ray. (2012). Portrait of the art world: Smithsonian national portrait gallery. Retrieved from: http://www.npg.si.edu/cexh/artnews/charles.htm

Michael, R. (2012). Art net. Retrieved from: http://www.artnet.com/artists/michael%20ray-charles/

PBS. (2012). about Michael Rays Charles. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/michael-ray-charles

Steven, H. (2012). Michael Ray Charles: When racist art was commercial art. Retrieved from: http://imprint.printmag.com/daily-heller/michael-ray-charles-when-racist-art-was- commercial-art/

Toy R Us