A Celebration of Great African-American Artists of the 20th Century
Hale Woodruff
A pioneering artist and educator, Hale Woodruff established the Fine Arts Department at Atlanta University and created the Atlanta Annuals. These two feats helped spark a renaissance in Atlanta's artistic community in the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Cairo, Illinois, Woodruff is best known for his murals at Atlanta University and Talladega College. He attended John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis and taught at New York University.
Affiliation: Atlanta University, New York University
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Blind Musician, 1935 In this relief print carved from a block of linoleum, Hale Woodruff took maximum advantage of the dramatic and emotional contrast of black ink and white paper inherent in the medium. The artist chose an unusual composition, presenting the street performer turned to the right, with the bridge of his guitar jutting out directly toward us. Woodruff planted a cane and a small donation cup at his feet, as subtle clues about the man's situation. The solitary musician, and by implication, his plaintive blues, emerge from the darkness of his surroundings, highlighted in chalky white. |
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