Sparky Boom

The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49

1. Identification & Artist Bio:

Jacob Lawrence. The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49. 1940-1941. Casein tempera on hardboard.

Jacob Lawrence was an African American painter, born in New Jersey with parents from the south. When he was 13, like many African Americans looking for new opportunities, his family moved to the north. They settled in Harlem, New York in 1930. Although the Harlem Renaissance was considered to be over once the Great Depression hit, Lawrence is often considered to be a product of the Harlem Renaissance during the 30’s and 40’s. He regarded his works to be “dynamic Cubism” despite his primary influences not being European like most Cubist Artists.

2. Description  & Formal Analysis of Art: The works of this series only show essential imagery to get the point across. The forms in not only panel No. 49, but in all 59 panels feature angular forms, strong diagonals, and contrasts of light and shadow. Although Lawrence used limited color, the seemingly basic colors come together to form a focal point for the viewer’s attention. In some panels, figures dominate the panel. In other panels like no. 49, the setting tells the story. The people are not individualized because of their flatness, lack of action, and facial expression. That was intentional.

3.  Art Making Process (materials and technique): Panel no. 49 along with all of the other panels in the series consist of casein tempera paint applied to hardboard panels. A layer traditional gesso was applied beforehand. Lawrence made his own casein tempera, using unmixed dry pigments for the color. He left the pigments unmixed to keep the color consistency with all 59 of the panels. Lawrence painted each panel at the same time with all of them laid out on the floor to see what would later be a complete narrative. He worked systematically to apply one color to each, starting with black and moving on to the lighter colors to prevent from mixing the paints.

4. Content (subject/iconography): This panel shows a public restaurant in the North. Blacks and whites are divided by a yellow barrier that zigzags through the center of the painting. The yellow dividing line is emphasized by the tilted table tops and chairs situated against the background of the restaurant floor. Tables and chairs are placed to reinforce the diners’ separation.

5. Original Context/Audience: The Migration Series was exhibited fully at Edith Halpert’s Downtown Gallery, which was an art gallery that was predominantly populated by white spectators and white artists. In 1942, the series began a two-year tour around the US. Lawrence was the first black artist to be featured in this gallery, and for the rest of his life, he had to face being immersed within the primarily white mainstream artistic community while remaining true to his roots.

6. Intended Function/Purpose: The intended function/purpose really links in within the original context and audience. Panel No. 49 was captioned “They also found discrimination in the North although it was much different from that which they had known in the South.”. With this work being displayed within the white art gallery in New York, wealthy Northern whites that were racist despite not being from the south were outwardly told that they too had discriminatory and dehumanizing tendencies towards African Americans. The entire migration series was made by Lawrence to tell the story that over 1.6 million black people experienced. Those 1.6 million black people were African Americans moving to the north from the south expecting more opportunities, but were only welcomed with a different type of racism that was less outward and spoken about. 50 cardboard panels can be found within the migration series, and each panel spoke of a different experience that wove together a narrative once placed in order.

That’s actually a great idea! I’ll try to include all of them, but if anyone notices that I’ve forgotten something, please let me know.

Season 1

1x03 - Aunt Ginger - Mickey wants to give Ian a beating down because he thinks he’s messed with his sister.

1x06 - Killer Carl - Mickey stealing from the Kash & Grab becomes a big problem.

1x07 - Frank Gallagher: Loving Husband, Devoted Father - Ian goes to the Milkovich house to retrieve the gun that Mickey had stolen from Kash and suddenly, sex!

1x08 - It’s time to kill the turtle - Mickey pays Ian a visit on the Kash & Grab, and later Ian goes to the Milkovich house “to study with Mandy”.

1x09 - But at last came a knock - When Monica comes back, Ian feels overwhelmed and runs to find Mickey. After that, they are caught having sex by Kash, who later shoots Mickey on the leg. Mickey goes to juvie.

1x10 - Nana Gallagher had an affair - Ian visits Mickey in juvie.

Season 2

2x02 - Summer Loving - Mickey gets out of juvie and Ian and him have some fun in the dugouts of the baseball field.

2x08 - Parenthood - Frank catches Ian and Mickey at it again, Mickey freaks out and decides to kill Frank, only to at the last second give up and punch a police officer instead, going back to juvie.

Season 3 

3x02 - The American Dream - Mickey gets out of juvie again and finds Ian fucking another boy under the bleachers. Ian and Mickey resume their…er…relationship.

3x03 - May I trim your hedges? - Ian and Mickey, along with several other man, go to a pedophile’s house to give him a beating down, but find out it’s actually a “she” and give up. Mickey goes to Angie Zago’s house to have sex with her, and later Mickey meets Ned/Lloyd and gets jealous and beats Ned/Lloyd up (also, Ian and Mickey running through the streets and rough housing).

3x05 - The sins of my caretaker - Ian and Mickey’s first kiss. ♥

3x06 (best known as 3x666) - Cascading failures - Ian and Mickey have a sleepover, where they watch movies, drink beer and Mickey cooks for Ian. In the morning, there’s the anal beads scene and THAT’S IT, THAT’S ALL THAT HAPPENS IN THIS EPISODE.

3x07 - A long way from home - Ian tries to talk to Mickey, but Mickey won’t even look at him.

3x09 - Frank the Plumber - Ian finds out that Mickey is getting married and confronts him. They have a fight. Also, “you love me and you’re gay”.

3x11 - Order room service - Mickey’s wedding, he and Ian kiss again, hook up again, but he still gets married and Ian gets drunk.

3x12 - Survival of the fittest - Ian tells Mickey he’s joining the army, Mickey cries and our hearts break.

Season 4

4x01 - Simple Pleasures - No interaction, but we see Mickey asking about Ian and looking longingly at his picture. Also, breaking a mirror. 

4x03 - Like Father, Like Daughter - Ian isn’t back yet, and Mickey clearly misses him a lot.

4x07 - A Jailbird, Invalid, Martyr, Cutter, Retard, and Parasitic Twin - Mandy tells Mickey to go find Ian, which he does, in a gay bar in Boystown. Awkward lap dance, drugged Ian, Mickey taking Ian home and watching him sleep.

4x08 - Hope Springs Paternal - Ian goes back home and Mickey finds him there. Ian says he wants bjs, Mickey sleeps on the floor, cute breakfast scene. Jealous Mickey at the club, hot kiss at the club. Jealous Mickey at the loft part. Cute sleeping together. TOGETHER.

4x09 - The Legend of Bonnie and Carl - cute babies scamming together to take money from old rich men. :) Also, more cute breakfast scene.

4x10 - Liver, I Hardly Know Her - Mickey wants to kill Kev and Ian calms him down. Ian wants to kill Kenyatta and Mickey calms him down. Ian clearly not okay.

4x11 - Emily - I like the way he smells. Just wondering if we’re a couple or not. Of course we are. Because you’re not free. Just wanted everybody here to know I’m gay. I SUCK HIS DICK AND I FUCKING LOVE IT! Nice legs. Forehead kiss.