Derrick Adams Celebrates the Joy of the Black American Experience Through Art
Artist Derrick Adams uses vibrant artwork to celebrate joy and everyday life in Black communities. How can art shape the way we understand identity and culture?
As the rainbow array outside Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art suggests, artist Derrick Adams is accentuating the positive. He celebrates contemporary Black life and culture, depicting leisure, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. Jared Bowen of GBH Boston recently sat down with Adams for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
Warm-Up Questions
- Who is Derrick Adams, and what is his background?
- What purpose does Adams' art serve, according to the artist?
- How did Adams first start making art?
- Where does Adams draw inspiration from?
- Why does Adams use certain stylistic choices, such as using lots of color in his work?
Essential Questions
- Why is art such as Adams's important in creating comfort and self-confidence among young Black Americans who struggle to find areas where they feel seen?
- What do you think is unique about the way Adams seeks representation in the field of fine arts?
- Media literacy: Analyze the visual media down below displaying various pieces of Adams' work. Then, discuss with a partner on what you see and what you believe makes his work unique. Additionally, ask yourself how these art pieces reflect Adams' goal of highlighting the joy of the Black American experience.
What Students Can Do
Students can learn more about Black art in the U.S. through the National Gallery of Arts article on 16 black artists to know. Select one artist that you found interesting and answer the following questions:
- What stood out to you about this artist? Was it their motives for being an artist or their art itself?
- Does this art have a similarity to that of Adams?
- How does art help free the mind and soul from the oppression that exists against people of color?
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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