UPaul Von Blum
Kusukela ngomhlaka-19
ekhulwini, abaculi base-Afrika baseMelika baye banaka kakhulu
ukuxoxa indaba ngendlela ebonakalayo. Imidwebo yabo, imidwebo, imidwebo, izithombe eziqoshiwe, kanye
izithombe ziye zaqeda amathemba nemizabalazo yabantu babo, yabo
amagugu ase-Afrika anganakwa, nempilo yawo yezenhlalo nezombusazwe e-United
Amazwe. Imisebenzi yabo yobuciko ivame ukugxila efeni elide nelingehloniphekile le
ukucwasa ngokwebala, ukunikeza indikimba yobuciko emangalisayo evezwa kanyekanye
ukumelana nengcindezelo kanye nombono womphakathi onobuntu. Kwezi-20
ekhulwini, abameleli abahle kakhulu bomphakathi wobuciko wase-Afrika waseMelika
bengeze izinkulungwane zemisebenzi ebonakalayo kusiko elinamandla lobuciko besintu.
I-Los
I-Angeles ikakhulukazi ibe yindawo yamalungu amaningana akhiqiza ngokungavamile
walo mphakathi. Isibalo esikhulu seminyaka engaphezu kwengama-30 nguRaymond Lark, i
iciko elituswayo nelisebenza ngezindlela eziningi umsebenzi walo uhlanganiswe nokuqoqiwe
nakho kweyakhe impilo.
Wazalwa
e-Philadelphia ngo-1939, u-Lark wakhula ngaphansi kokuzama kakhulu komuntu siqu kanye nomphakathi
izimo. Indodana yesisebenzi sasendlini nephoyisa, wayehlala e
isakhiwo sokuhlala esigcwele izilokazane sisebancane. Izikhumbuzo zakhe siqu
amagundane nezinkemane kanye nemindeni eyisishiyagalombili ehlanganyela izindlu zangasese ezifanayo ezisele
umbono ongacimeki. Ukugula ngengqondo kukanina nokulaliswa esibhedlela
kwamphoqa ukuthi angene ezindlini ezikhungethe izingane ezikhuliswa ngabanye kanye nezikole zokulungisa isimo. I-Lark
wathola imali yokuqoqa nokuthengisa okungenamsoco, izicathulo ezicwebezelayo, nokubulala izinkukhu.
Waphinde wathola umsebenzi wokuba yisithunywa, umabhalane we-stockroom, umpakishi nomthumeli, a
umshini wokubhala, nonobhala.
Ngesikhathi
eneminyaka emine, uLark ukhumbula ehlatshwe umxhwele isigubhu esikhulu ePhiladelphia
I-Thanksgiving Parade. Lapho ephindela ekhaya, waphinda wasidala isithombe esikhulu kakhulu
ukwazisa izihlobo zakhe. Wabona ke isifiso sakhe esinamandla sokuba i
umculi. Ukuvakashela i-Philadelphia Museum of Art eminyakeni embalwa kamuva kwaqiniswa
isifiso sakhe. Lapho eneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye, waqala ukuqeqeshwa ngokobuciko ngokufunda amakilasi
eSikoleni Seminyuziyamu ngemva kokuphuma kwesikole nangezimpelasonto.
Ukusebenza ngokugcwele
phakathi nosuku, uLark naye waqhubeka nemisebenzi yakhe yemfundo. EThempelini
I-University Evening College, waqhubeka nokufunda ubuciko nakuba ehola
iziqu ze-bachelor ekuphathweni kwebhizinisi. Ngo-1961, uLark wathuthela eLos
Angeles, efuna izindlela zokuthola impumelelo njengeciko. NjengeMpumalanga eminingi entsha
Ekufikeni kwasogwini, wabona iCalifornia njengenye indlela ebukekayo, ecwebezela ngayo
ithuba kanye nesasasa. Eqhubeka nokuqeqeshwa kwakhe kwezobuciko ngokufunda
umfanekiso wezobuchwepheshe eLos Angeles Trade Technical College, wabuye walungisa
ukuziphilisa kwezentengiselwano ukuze unikele isikhathi, ekugcineni, ukuze
uthando lwakhe lokudweba nokudweba. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuzinza eLos Angeles, yena
wasebenza njengomphathi e-Lockheed Aircraft Company. Nalapha wahlangana no
ubutha bobuhlanga bezikhathi. Amahlaya obuhlanga kanye ne-invective ebhekiswe ngokumelene
Ama-Afrika aseMelika ayevamile.
He
waqhubeka nokusebenza emini, ethola imisebenzi yokuphatha ebhizinisini,
imfundo, kanye nomthetho. Ekhiqiza ubuciko bakhe ngenkuthalo maphakathi kuya ngasekupheleni kwawo-1960, uLark
izuze impumelelo ekhulayo nokuqashelwa. Ekuqaleni kobuciko bakhe
umsebenzi wakhe, wapenda izithombe ehola amakhomishini amahle ngemizamo yakhe. Yena
waphinde wathola imibukiso eminingana, ebonisa imisebenzi yakhe eqokomisa eminingana
izingqikithi. Ezimweni eziningi, wayegwema ukuhambela ukuvulwa kwegalari,
efihla ifa lakhe lobuhlanga kubanikazi kanye namakhasimende angaba khona.
Nakuba aqala ukuziphilisa ngokuthengisa umsebenzi wakhe, naye
ukhumbula ukuthi amasheke ayeka ukufika ngemuva kokudalula u-African American wakhe
umazisi
Ukucindezeleka
ngokushiywa ngaphandle okukhulu kwamaciko ase-Afrika aseMelika ebucikweni obusemthethweni
imilando kanye nobunzima babo ekutholeni iminyuziyamu kanye nemibukiso yegalari, uLark
wafunda ngefa lamasiko elihlaba umxhwele labantu bakhe. Ngisho nangaphambili ePhiladelphia,
wayethole umsebenzi wobungcweti wokuqala ka-Alain Locke noJames Porter,
abantu ababalulekile ekuletheni ubuciko base-Afrika baseMelika ekunakeni kabanzi komphakathi
ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20.
I-Lark's
ukuvela njengengcweti okuhambisana namandla namandla omphakathi wesimanje
ukunyakaza kwamalungelo ngeminyaka yawo-1960 kanye nawo-1970. Ebonisa umoya wale nkathi, yena
wabamba iqhaza kumkhankaso wobuciko endaweni yase-Los Angeles owaqhakaza ngemuva kwalokho
ukuhlubuka kwama-Watts ka-1965. Ngalowo nyaka, wahlanganyela embukisweni wobuciko
ezinikezelwe kuzisulu zalezo zenzakalo ezihlukumezayo nezinodlame. Wathatha a
iqhaza eliqinile lobuholi, ngaphezu kwalokho, ekusizeni amanye amaciko amnyama ukuthi aphumelele
ukuqashelwa kochwepheshe. Ngo-1967, uLark wajoyina i-Art West Associated (AWA), a
inhlangano yezobuciko abamnyama e-Los Angeles nase-San Francisco ekhuthaza amasiko
ingxoxo, izinhlelo zemfundo ezihlelekile, futhi eziyaluza ukuze zihlonishwe futhi
ukubamba iqhaza ezikhungweni zobuciko ezijwayelekile. Amalungu azibophezele ku-
izinjongo ezibanzi zobulungiswa bezinhlanga ezivela emisebenzini yamalungelo omphakathi kazwelonke
ngaleso sikhathi. Phakathi kokunye, izikhanyisi zobuciko zase-Afrika zaseMelika njenge
Charles White, Ruth Waddy, Samella Lewis, John Riddle, Alonzo Davis, nabanye
bebengabambiqhaza.
Ngesikhathi
ngaleso sikhathi, uLark wanikela isikhathi eside ekusizeni abaculi akanye nabo
ukuhlela imibukiso kanye nokukhuthaza intuthuko yabo yesikhathi esizayo. Njengeyakhe
ukuzinikela emfundweni, ukuzibophezela kwakhe emsebenzini womphakathi kuye kwakhuthazela ngokufanayo
kuze kube manje futhi uye waba nomthelela onamandla ekuthuthukisweni kwengqikithi yakhe
umsebenzi wobuciko. Ngo-1971, wanquma ukuphishekela umsebenzi wakhe wobuciko ngokugcwele.
Phakathi ku
umsebenzi omangalisayo kusukela ngo-1987, "The Ghetto" (Figure 1), uLark usebenzisa intandokazi yakhe.
medium, umdwebo wepensela, ukuveza izimo ezinyantisayo zempilo yasemadolobheni
izigidi zezakhamuzi ezineshwa eMelika. Ukhumbuza ubusha bakhe
okuhlangenwe nakho esakhiweni esibolayo sase-Philadelphia, okugqamisa umdwebo
igundane elikhulu eliphakeme phezu kwendawo yasemadolobheni. Ihaba ngamabomu, lokhu
igundane elisabekayo lidlulisa umuzwa wengane wengozi nokwesaba.
In
"Indlala" (Umfanekiso 2), eyakhiqizwa ngo-1975, uLark ugxile kumlungu osekhulile.
ukufuna ukudla, ukufuna ukudla okungokwenyama emphakathini owehlisayo
izalukazi ezikhungethwe ubumpofu zize zibe yimfucuza endala. Indlala yeqa ubuhlanga kanye
izinhlanga e-United States nakwezinye izindawo. KuRaymond Lark, yini ebalulekile
ngaphezu kwakho konke ukuhlupheka kwabantu. Ukugxila kumuntu ohlukumezekile omhlophe kuqinisa i
ukuqonda leli qiniso elidabukisayo futhi kwembula futhi ububanzi futhi
umbono wamasiko ahlukene wombono womdwebi.
In
"Ukukhungatheka" (Umfanekiso 3), insizwa emnyama ibamba ikhanda layo ngokudangala njengoba injalo
ubhekene nenkinga yokuntuleka kwemisebenzi emphakathini wakubo. Ngokuphawulekayo, i-
udaba usesakaze phezu kombhede wakhe usizo efuna izikhangiso udle ize
zama ukuthola umsebenzi. Ukulwa nemibono yendabuko yase-Afrika yaseMelika
ubuvila obusagcwele ukwazi kwaseMelika, umdwebi ubeka kucace
ukuthi insizwa ifuna kakhulu ukusebenza.
Lark
iphinde yasebenzisa umdwebo kawoyela wendabuko ukuze inikeze ukuphawula kobuciko okungenasici
ngempilo yase-Afrika yaseMelika e-United States. Isibonelo esihlaba umxhwele yilesi
"U-Henrietta" (Umdwebo 4), wadala ekuqaleni komsebenzi wakhe wobuchwepheshe. Omusha
intombazane emnyama ihlezi yodwa esihlalweni nonodoli wayo wethoyizi. Phezulu, isithombe si
iyathandeka, enesithombe esingapheli sengane nonodoli wayo. Okwe-Afrika
Abantu baseMelika, nokho, umdwebo ubakhumbuza iqiniso elibuhlungu nge
imithelela ebalulekile yokuzazisa ngokobuhlanga kanye nobuwena.
Kuze kube muva nje, izingane ezimnyama bezikwazi ukudlala ngonodoli abamhlophe kuphela,
eqinisa ngobuqili umbono owandile wokuthi kungaba mhlophe kuphela
kubhekwa njengeyamukelekayo futhi enhle.
In
โUkufuna Inkingaโ (Umfanekiso 5), isimo sobuso bomuntu
ifingqa imizwa yangaphakathi yabaningi base-Afrika baseMelika, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isihlobo sabo
isimo sezomnotho e-United States. Ikhathele ubudlova nokukhaphela, indoda
iyibhomu lesikhathi langempela, elinde isitobhi esisodwa nje esingenabulungiswa esivela kumhlophe
iphoyisa noma enye inhlamba yobuhlanga endaweni yokudlela noma esitolo somnyango.
Isihloko esithile sikaLark sasisebenze e-US Army, echitha iminyaka yakhe
ukuphila ezweni elibonakala lingakwazi ukuziphatha kahle kanye nokubuyisana.
I-Lark's
1982 umdwebo, "One Day" (Figure 6), wengeza isici esingavamile kule enkulu
indaba ephathwayo yobuciko. Uveza umshikashika onzima womfana omncane ukuze aphumelele a
insimbi yomculo enzima. Noma yikuphi ukukhungatheka abhekana nakho, uyikho
uzimisele ukunqoba noma yiziphi izithiyo emgomweni wakhe womculo. Njengenjwayelo,
Umsebenzi wobuciko kaLark uxoxa indaba yomzabalazo womfana omncane ukuze enze noma yini
amakhono abawadingayo ukuze bathole ukwaneliseka kokuphila kwabo bonke abantu
izidalwa zifuna. Ngokomlando, abantu abamnyama โakufaneleโ badlale noma bajabulele
umculo we-classic. Futhi "akufanele" ukuthi baphumelele ekuphishekeleni imfundo
noma ezinye izindawo ngokomlando ebezigcinelwe abantu abanelungelo lobuhlanga.
Like
ozakwabo abaningi kwezobuciko, Lark uye wadala inkokhiso ezibukwayo civil
ukunyakaza kwamalungelo. Iserigraph yakhe enesihloko esithi "The March" (Figure 7) ithwebula
umoya wezikhathi, wembula amandla nokuzimisela kwabantu base-Afrika baseMelika
kanye nabasekeli babo ukuze banciphise igebe elikhulu phakathi kwemibono yaseMelika neyaseMelika
amaqiniso. Umuntu ophakathi nendawo, ebambe induku yakhe ngokuqinile, uyamasha
ngokuzimisela ezweni lesethembiso; ukuthi uyafika noma akafiki akubalulekile.
Labo abamlandelayo bayoqhubeka nokufuna inkululeko nethuba.
Amafulegi abo aseMelika, aboniswe ngokugqamile, abonisa ukuthi bonke abantu baseMelika bane
ukubamba iqhaza kulo mzabalazo nokuthi ukuqedwa kobandlululo ekugcineni kuyazuzisa
wonke umuntu emphakathini wentando yeningi. Ukugqoka izingubo zomdabu zaseningizimu
black sharecropper, indoda ibonisa iqiniso eliyisisekelo mayelana namalungelo abantu
ukunyakaza.
"Mina
Ufuna Ukuphilaโ (Umfanekiso 8), umdwebo we-graphite wango-1989, ulandisa okokugcina.
izinsuku zikaDavid Lee Scott, umdwebi ahlangana naye ngenkathi evolontiya eLong Beach
i-hospice yabantu abane-AIDS. Uneminyaka engu-39 kuphela ubudala, uScott wayeyindoda enamandla
ngerekhodi lokusubatha elivelele. ULark waba umngani wakhe ngesikhathi sakhe sokugcina
ukuwohloka, ukubheka ukuncipha okukhulu nokukhubazeka uScott kanye
ezinye izisulu zengculaza ziyakhuthazela nakanjani. Umdwebo urekhoda isiphetho esibuhlungu se
Ukuphila kukaScott, okubonisa indlela umngane wakhe omusha azama ngayo kanzima ukugcina okuthile
isithunzi lapho ebhekene nokufa kwakhe okuzayo.
The
umculi wengeza embonweni wakhe wonke ngezandla ezizungeze isiguli esifayo.
Lezi zithombe ziyizimpawu zethemba nozwelo, okubonisa ukuthintwa komuntu lokho
iyakwenqaba ukuziphatha okunganalwazi okwenza iziguli zengculazi zifinyelele esimweni sokuba
abanochoko banamuhla. Izandla eziphilisayo, ngokuphambene nalokho, zifuna ukuvikela uDavid Lee
Scott ekudingisweni emphakathini kanye nokwehliswa isithunzi uma engasuki egciwaneni le-HIV. Ababukeli
akufanele iwugweme umyalezo ongagunci othi โI Want To Liveโโingculaza enawo
kwanda ukucekela phansi imiphakathi yase-Afrika yaseMelika.
Kuwo
umlando wesintu, abanye abaculi baye basebenzisa umsebenzi wabo ukuze bathole ingcebo nesikhundla
ukuphendula izimfuno zabaxhasi kanye nabanolwazi olukhethekile. Abanye baye benza kanjalo
basebenzise imidwebo yabo, imidwebo, nemifanekiso ukuze bahlole izilinganiso ezintsha
ingokomoya noma ubuhle. Kanti abanye baye bafuna ukwenza ubuciko ngenxa yalokho
yobuciko. Emakhulwini eminyaka edlule, inani elincane labaculi liye lafuna esikhundleni salokho
dala ubuciko ngenxa yempilo. Bakhethe ukukhiqiza umsebenzi owandisa umsebenzi wethu
ukuqonda okuhlangene komlando nesimo somuntu futhi lokho kuyakhuthaza
ukuzwela kwethu okuthuthukisiwe nozwelo. URaymond Lark ukhethe ukufaka isandla
kuleli qembu lokugcina lamadoda nabesifazane abanamakhono. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uye wafaka
ukuphila kwakhe siqu okunenjongo ehlala njalo nenani. Okubaluleke ngokufanayo, uye waletha
udumo olukhulu emphakathini wakhe wezobuciko oqeqeshiwe.
Z
Umbhali ukwazisa ngokubonga ukwesekwa okuvela ku-UCLA Institute of American
Amasiko kanye ne-UCLA Center for African American Studies yalesi sihloko.