Bearden's "A Black Odyssey" -- coming soon to Memphis

Very happy to learn that the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will be hosting an exhibition on Romare Bearden's "A Black Odyssey" next February 2–April 28, 2013. Starting in 1977, Bearden began crafting these collages, which are full of intense colors. We own a copy of the DC Moore gallery's exhibition catalog, but it will be exciting to view these in person; can't wait for the crew to take a reunion tour.

Here's a resource for teachers; a celebration of his 100th anniversary; a review essay; a forthcoming study of The Afro-Modernist Epic by our friend at the University of Memphis, Kathy Lou Schultz.


The Brooks description follows:

In the unique language of visual art, Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey is a startling retelling of Homer’s ancient story of Odysseus, who faced many temptations and battled adversaries to make his way home to Ithaca. While this mighty sea-tale of a brilliant but dislocated hero’s journey home originates with Homer—Bearden makes it undeniably his own. Throughout his career, the search for home was the artist’s most pervasive theme. For decades, he created country- and city-scapes of family love—typically secure but sometimes uneasy images of life at home and travelers making their way back.

To stress the universality of Homer’s epic, and to make it more relevant to the lives of blacks as well as to his own experience as a modern black artist, Bearden makes all of his Homeric figures black: gods, mortals, heroes, and villains. This choice asserts the central meaning of the story: a father and husband trying to get home, a son missing his father, a hero tempted to give up his quest, a wife’s tested patience. These themes, Bearden assures us, apply to black people as well as to anyone else.

The forty-five collages, watercolors, and ink drawings included in the exhibition from the artist’s estate elucidate the development of this series.

Graphic Gilgamesh

Many versions of Gilgamesh have begun arriving in the mail. We just received "The Graphic Canon," a 500-page anthology (1st of 3 projected volumes) of excerpts from illustrated versions of "the world's greatest literature." A selection from Gareth Hinds' "Odyssey" is included (the Cyclops episode, aptly).

"The Graphic Canon" opens with Kevin Dixon's version of Gilgamesh. Apparently he has been self-producing these over recent years. The style looks a bit like a cross between R. Crumb's "Genesis" and Elzie Crisler Segar's "Popeye" comic strip: black and white ink, with fluidly energetic lines. Intriguingly, the translation he uses is by Kent Dixon -- yes, that's a relation, his father. Dixon père clarifies that his is technically a "rendition," that is to say, a version that he has crafted drawing upon dozens existing translations in multiple language, with some introductory knowledge of the original cuneiform script.

Gilgamesh, our next odyssey

Our next odyssey will take us even further back in time, to the oldest extant epic: the Mesopotamian story of Gilgamesh. Not surprisingly, it's another heroic quest narrative. Yet this one involves a violence-prone demigod, and ends on a rather more sombre note, as Gilgamesh comes to terms with his mortality. Here's a decent introduction to the poem, including a brief video:

http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/gilgamesh/

The cuneiform tablet that includes the Gilgamesh flood narrative (which the Genesis account of Noah seems to emulate) is held in the British Museum. In 1872, the assistant who identified this text, George Smith, became so excited by his discovery that he "jumped up and rushed about the room in a great state of excitement, and, to the astonishment of those present, began to undress himself." You can listen to BM Director Neil MacGregor describe this tablet, part of the marvelous program "A History of the World in 100 Objects."

As with the Homeric poems, there are a number of illustrated adaptations for children. We've ordered Ludmila Zeman's "Gilgamesh Trilogy" as well as other versions to consult. Last spring Miss E. found it thought-provoking to ask our crew to compare different literary and artistic approaches to retelling the same story; we hope to do the same this fall with this similarly pliable narrative. 

One scholar, Theodore Ziolkowski, reflects upon the 20th-century revival of interest in this epic: 

"In sum, in almost a hundred manifestations of literature, art, music, and popular culture, the epic of Gilgamesh constitutes a finely tuned seismograph that registers many of the major intellectual, social, and moral upheavals of the past hundred years: from the religious controversies of the early twentieth century, by way of the search for eternal spiritual values transcending the decline of Western civilization following two world wars, to the struggle for recognition among previously marginalized groups, notably gays and feminists, and eventually to environmental concerns for planet Earth. This fascinating history of reception culminated most recently in a revival of what is believed to be the epic’s original religious impetus and its radical politicization by other writers. In any case, wherever one looks today, and in the most varied manifestations, Gilgamesh is very much among us."

Group hug!

Almost the whole crew

The program

Take a bow !

Hardening the point of the spear

biblios

Art gallery

Getting dressed

The plot outline

Fire!

Backstage costumes

Mosaics

The Trojan giraffe

Prepping the stage

One eye in the middle of his forehead (reprise)

Encore!

Sheep disguises

Our first audience

The crew rehearses

The director!

Teller of Scylla

Nausicaa reciter

The plastic apple and the Trojan giraffe

Rosy-fingered dawn

The Odyssey comes to life!

Invitations hand decorated by the crew:

Ship ahoy!

Made out of an airconditioner box. Everything is coming together!

Setting sail

Getting the stage ready for the May 19 performance!

A raft of boats

Beware the dangers ahead!

E. explains his painting of Scylla and Charybdis.

M.G. adorns herself with scarves for our Siren song.

The group

After hearing the story of Circe, everyone creates their own pungent potion!

Practice!

April 18 -- from PG:

The group came up with a name for their performance--"The Odyssey Comes to Life."

They then began making posters or in some cases invitations for the performance.  The date and time had not been determined. [May 19?]

The group went outside to try to determine where the stage would be and where the audience would sit.  


They also did some practice using their "acting voices" and learning to keep their bodies turned toward the audience.

Back inside some did some more work on posters while others worked on their costumes.

Under the spell of Circe

April 11 from SM:

"Todayʼs Odyssey class felt like what it must have felt like when some of the crewmen were lost at sea or eaten by monsters or under Circeʼs spell. We were short two and as MG noted, “How funny it is to have the Odyssey in Rʼs house with her not even here!” We also thought it was pretty neat that E was becoming a big brother that very morning.

Miss E. brought out the instruments and everyone jumped right into matching sounds with scenes and so we had our own little Foley Artist session. That morphed into discussion about costume as N. promptly donned scarves and such to go with her sounds, and then the wigs were put on. Having recently visited the New Orleans N. thought that her wig made her look like a ʻFrench Duuudeʼ and so that became quite the theme of the day and was repeated with fervor. As well as other bawdy New Orleans jokes that turned into the typical mad humor of five and six year olds that centers around gastrointestinal events. This was a recurring theme for the day, many giggles to be had.

Finally, after much self control the four girls were able to discuss a bit of costume ideas, practice the Siren Song, negotiate the ʻparade before the playʼ idea, and helped V. pick apart her Scylla and Charybdis scene sheʼs narrating into bullet points to help her find her own words for the retelling. N. started a drawing to help her while she retells her part of the Odyssey.

Everyone worked on their Mosaics again, MG on her 3rd being the fastest layer of tiles Iʼve seen yet! Miss E. put the grout on MGʼs and wiped it off while we all ooohhed and ahhhed over the finished piece being revealed.
Lastly, C. decided she will create simple, yet unique sets to go with everyone elseʼs retelling of scenes, and so began her interviews of what each imagines their scenes to look like.
Everyone agreed theyʼre SO EXCITED to figure out costumes!!!"

Assembling the Mosaic

From EPL, April 4 account:

"Last week Miss E helped the children decide which books of the story each would narrate for the performance. The Cyclops story will be acted out, but each child will tell a subsequent scene in their own words. E. wanted to talk about Hyperion's cattle because he is a "meatatarian" and therefore has sympathy for the hungry sailors who couldn't resist fresh steak.

Then, everyone tromped downstairs to run through their lines for the cyclops scene. C. narrated, while V. portrayed the fearsome cyclops. N. had clearly been well-rehersed and played a sailor with aplomb. They also decided they would like to have a museum to showcase their visual work at the final performance, though everyone wanted to be reassured that they would get all their art back.

After the run through, which Elizabeth noted took 10 minutes, everyone worked on a mosaic, gluing small glass and ceramic tiles to hardwood boards. We looked at some ancient mosaics too, and marveled at their detail. Some of the children's mosaics morphed into three dimensions, while some were abandoned to drawing or to gluing tiles on smaller picture frames. But all were coming along well by the end of class, and were to be worked on the next week if unfinished, and grouted the next week if completed.

Children left with various versions of the text. They would reread the portion of the story they'd be responsible for presenting, and were asked to practice a few times over the coming week."

"pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge."

From Ms. E.:

This week, we read the last book of The Odyssey, in which Odysseus is reunited with Penelope after revealing his identity in an archery contest and a notably "bloody" revenge scene. After a few questions about what it meant to "behead a suitor" and some "eww" responses, all agreed that the ending was "good" because Ithaca returned to peace and Odysseus was happy. 

 The children then tested out their own archery skills by trying to shoot through a hoop with a bow and arrow on the front lawn. As Penelope (i.e., MG) watched, R, E, & N took turns with the bow, and each agreed that Odysseus was an impressive hero because shooting an arrow straight is harder than it looks!

After, we went inside and began the first read-through of the Cyclops scene. With some coaching, everyone began to get comfortable using loud voices, interacting with one another as characters, and using body language to enhance the lines. The group then finished drafting the remainder of the scene's script and retired for snack. We all discussed ideas for additional ways to present the material in the final performance such as representing some scenes with music, art, and puppetry. Mr. S. shared some from his trip to Chicago and got everyone excited about perhaps creating a Trojan horse of our own.

The second half of the morning was spent discussing and creating props and costumes for the Cyclops scene. Everyone made sheep masks and boulders for the cave. By noon, there was a lot of excitement about creating the armor for the scene and imagining how to make the cyclops look "hideous." Miss E. also shared a bit about the mosaic project planned for next week. Lastly, R showed with everyone how she makes "pocket-sized bows/arrows" with rubber bands and parts of tinker toys. Each archer seemed intent on refining his/her skills before next week!

[A lovely poem by Cavafy on the return to Ithaca.]

Man of constant sorrow

BBC Radio 4 program: "The Road Home: Remaking Homer's Odyssey"

"Tom Holland explores the continuing appeal of Homer's Odyssey. From the Coen Brothers' film 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' to feminist rewritings of the story of Penelope's long-suffering wait for her husband to return we remain as fascinated as ever by one of the poetic cornerstones of western life. Why should that be? Homer has been quarried and mined and remade ever since the Iliad and the Odyssey were first sung. But today poets, dramatists, songwriters, novelists and filmmakers are working on the poems like never before it seems. Dante, Tennyson and James Joyce all had goes at rewriting the story of Odysseus (also called Ulysses) and his struggle to get home after the Trojan War, but what do today's reworkers have to say about the story and its meaning to us? Simon Armitage, Michael Longley, Zachary Mason, Alice Oswald, Edith Hall, and the late Peter Reading and Christopher Logue join the words of Margaret Atwood and the music of Tim Buckley and the Soggy Bottom Boys to help us all find our way home. Producer: Tim Dee."

They include a version of Buckley's "Song to the Siren" sung hauntingly by This Mortal Coil:

On the floating, shapeless oceans
I did all my best to smile
til your singing eyes and fingers
drew me loving into your eyes.

And you sang "Sail to me, sail to me;
Let me enfold you."

Here I am, here I am waiting to hold you.
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning, broken love lost on your rocks.
For you sang, "Touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow."
Oh my heart, oh my heart shies from the sorrow.
I'm as puzzled as a newborn child.
I'm as riddled as the tide.
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Or shall I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing: "Swim to me, swim to me, let me enfold you."
"Here I am. Here I am, waiting to hold you."

Well suited

Last week, with spring break approaching for the Odyssean crew, we took stock of our episodes thus far, as we anticipate crafting them into an adequate vessel for performance.

Reviewing Odyssey's return to Ithaca

Since last week was also the closing of the "Armed and Dangerous" exhibit at the Brooks Museum, and since the weather was unseasonably splendid, we took a field trip to learn more about Greek armor and weaponry. 

Human chain crossing a street without a crosswalk

We got to see a Greek helmet and sword, a vase decorated with Heracles (whom we could identify because he was wearing a lionskin), and (in the permanent collection) Luca Giordano's rather placid The Slaying of the Medusa. A favorite part of the exhibit was the interactive corner, where everyone tried on helmets as well as made decorative impressions with a stylus on strips of metal. 

Stylin'

V & MG

E

N

Some Homeric tidbits in the news over the break: Greek characters (via Shakespeare) were used for market commentary;  a quixotic millionaire (redundant?) and author of Odysseus Unbound (available in our crew's library!) is convinced that he has discovered the authentic Ithaca; meanwhile, scholars continue to debate who (singular or plural) even composed the Homeric epics. And in Chicago, a new National Hellenic Museum opened with an exhibit on "Gods, Myths and Mortals": "climb into a 12 foot tall Trojan Horse, journey through rocky caves, over open seas, into a Cyclops Cave and then a karaoke cave to sing like a Siren." Another field trip?