Abaningi bomlando wezobuciko baseMelika, abagxeki,
futhi abantu abavamile bayazi ngethonya elinamandla likaCharles
White, omunye wabaculi abaphambili base-Afrika baseMelika be-
Ikhulu lama-20. Izinkulungwane zezibukeli ezinokwazisa ziye zaba
enyakaziswa yimidwebo yakhe yasezindongeni, imidwebo, nama-prints. Okumhlophe kusetshenziswe
umsebenzi wakhe wonke ukhuthaza umbono obalulekile
ukugqamisa imizabalazo nokungaziwa kahle
okufeziwe ngabantu bakhe. Izithombe zakhe zesithunzi kanye
umbhikisho ugqugquzele isizukulwane esisha sokubukwa
abaculi bazo zonke izinhlanga ukuze baqhubeke endleleni yakhe
bengeza iminikelo yabo eyingqayizivele esikhathini eside
isiko lokumelana nobuciko.Isibonelo esisobala ikakhulukazi se
Umthelela kaCharles White ungatholakala empilweni nasemsebenzini
wendodana yakhe yokutholwa, u-Ian White. Unesiphiwo futhi ufezile
umculi osemusha, u-Ian White ujoyina uyise ongasekho kweyakhe
ukuzibophezela kwezobuciko obuqaphela umphakathi. Wengeze
eziningi ezintsha zesitayela emsebenzini wakhe, zonke
ngenkathi igxile kwezinye zezenhlalo ezinkulu nezepolitiki
izingqikithi zawo-1990.Kusukela ebuntwaneni kuze kube manje,
U-Ian White uye wadalulwa ezinhlobonhlobo zobuciko kanye
amathonya ezepolitiki azisa umsebenzi wakhe wamanje njenge
umculi wepolitiki osafufusa osezingeni eliphezulu. Uhambo lwakhe lokungena
ebusheni bakhe kwaqinisa isimo sakhe sezombangazwe sesishoshovu.
Okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe eMelika Ephakathi, ikakhulukazi e
I-Nicaragua ngesikhathi samaSandinista, imazisa mayelana
imizabalazo emikhulu yezombangazwe yesimanje, emkhuthaza
ukusebenzisa ubuciko bakhe njengesikhali kuleyo mishikashika. Okwakhe
ukuxhumana namabhodi ezepolitiki kanye nemidwebo yalezo zithombe
izikhathi (manje, ngokudabukisayo, zichithwe yi-
Umbuso wokulondoloza oxhaswe yiMelika kulelozwe)
kwamkhuthaza ukuthi enze umsebenzi wobuciko ofanayo endaweni yakhe
izwe lakho.Okubaluleke ngokufanayo, ubelokhu
kuthonywe ezinye zezibalo ezinkulu emphakathini
ubuciko obaziyo. Ukhumbula, isibonelo, abanamandla
umthelela wokufunda incwadi kaBen Shahn Isimo Sokuqukethwe, a
incwadi evikela kahle ifa lokuziqhenya lezenhlalo
ukungezwani kwezobuciko. Eyakhe imizamo ubona njengelandelayo
isibonelo sabaculi abakhulu bezepolitiki abanjengoKathe
Kollwitz, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, noDavid
Alfaro Siqueiros.Phakathi kwabaculi besimanje, yena
uyalivuma ithonya likaSue Coe, uJohn Bigers, kanye
UDavid Hammons. Ngokuphawulekayo, amaBiggers namaHammons anjalo
abameleli abavelele nababonakala kakhulu
isiko elide lobuciko bokumelana ne-African American.
UHammons wayengumfundi kaCharles White e-Otis Art
Isikhungo eLos Angeles ngeminyaka yawo-1960. Ian White,
nakuba kokubili kwe-biological yaseShayina kanye ne-Afrika yaseMelika
imvelaphi, uzibiza ngokuthi ungumMelika waseMelika, futhi
uzibona enweba lelo fa.U-Ian White waqeqeshwa ngokusemthethweni kulo mdlalo
ubuciko obuhle, ethola i-BFA yakhe eSan Francisco Art
Institute, lapho ayenakho, phakathi kwabanye, u-Angela Davis njengo
uthisha. Muva nje, uphothule iziqu zakhe ze-MFA esikoleni
I-Otis Art Institute.Umsebenzi wobuciko omhlophe uhlanganisa okuhlukahlukene
amafomu anokuhlaziya okujulile komphakathi. Ukusebenzisa yendabuko
imidwebo, imidwebo yasezindongeni, kanye nokufakwa kwemidiya exubile, unayo
ikhiqize indikimba yobuciko ehlaba umxhwele mayelana ne
izindaba eziyimpikiswano ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lama-20. Ku-an
uwoyela ongenasihloko nomdwebo we-acrylic kusukela ngo-1990 (Umfanekiso 1),
isibonelo, usebenzisa umfanekiso ozimele ogama lakhe lisho
kuveza umuzwa onamandla wokukhathazeka noma wokuphelelwa ithemba.
Ngokubona ngokwengqondo, umsebenzi uxhumana
ukuqonda isiyaluyalu sangaphakathi somfana. Kwizinga elilodwa,
umdwebo uveza umuzwa wendawo yonke womzwelo
izinhlungu.Incazelo yomsebenzi idlula i
indawo ye-psychology yomuntu ngamunye ukuze adlulisele isihluku
imiphumela engokomzwelo yokubhekana nomphakathi onenzondo
kanye nesimo sezomnotho sabesilisa abamnyama. Isihloko sithi
isimo sobuso sibonisa ukuqonda okuvamile lokho
cishe ngawo wonke amazinga-ukufa, impilo,
imfundo, umsebenzi, kanye nemali engenayo-amadoda ase-Afrika aseMelika
ukuhamba kahle. Ubuso bomfanekiso bubonisa usizi lwe
ukwazi abangane abasha abashonile noma ababoshiwe.Lo mdwebo, nokho, unokuphindwe kabili
incazelo. Insizwa, ebhekene nezithiyo ezinamandla, i
uzimisele ukuphumelela naphezu kwazo zonke izingqinamba. Umzamo kaMhlophe,
idalwe ngokungacaci ngamabomu, ikhuthaza ababukeli ukuthi
qonda zombili izimo ezinyantisayo zesimanje
abantu abamnyama kanye nokubashayela ihlombe ukuqina kwabo okumangalisayo ku
ukuphendula le mibandela.Ku-"I have a Dream-Reality"
(Umdwebo 2), umfana osemncane wase-Afrika waseMelika ugqolozela
ngokusolisayo esithombeni se-U.S. capitol in
Washington, DC njengoba eqonda igebe elikhulu phakathi
izethembiso zikahulumeni kanye nezimbi kakhulu
okungokoqobo. Isingathekiso sekhadi lesikweletu siveza ngendlela emangalisayo
lokho izakhamizi zase-Afrika zaseMelika ezikwaziyo kusukela
Impi yezikhali. Naphezu kwentuthuko ethile enesizotha uma ikhononda, futhi
naphezu kwezinkulumo zikahulumeni ezimelene nokucwasa
izikhulu amashumi amaningi eminyaka, inkokhelo eyanele ngempela
amakhulu eminyaka okucwasa ngokwebala asazofika. Thanda
abantu abadala besikhathi sakhe, umfana ufuna okufanele
isinxephezelo, esikhokhwa okungenani ngezinga lenzalo elifanayo
ukuthi abathengi bahlangana ne-VISA ne-American Express.Ku-"DC Railroaded" (Figure
3), White isebenzisa isithombe esifana ne-Monopoly ukuze abhale umlando
ukufuduka kwabantu nezilwane okubangelwa ikhulu le-19
ukunwetshwa ngasentshonalanga. Iphikisana nenguqulo yothando
yokwandiswa okutholakala kumidiya evamile kanye naku
izincwadi zesikole, umdwebo ukhuthaza ababukeli ukuba
baqonde ukufuduka okuyisisekelo nokulimazayo
yangaleyo nkathi. I-Santa Fe Railroad, imelwe eceleni
buka phezulu naphambili phakathi nendawo
ukwakheka, kufanekisela ukuhweba okuzingelayo
ukuthuthukiswa okwasusa aboMdabu baseMelika endaweni yabo
amadolobhana kanye nenani lezinyathi ezivela ezweni lazo.Emdwebeni wakhe othi "Genocidal
Ukuthambekela" (Umdwebo 4), uMhlophe ukhuluma ne
inkinga eqhubekayo yenhlekelele yenuzi. Kwaphinda lokho,
ukugxila kwakhe kumfana omncane kwenza izethameli zenze kube ngokwakho
izingozi zengozi yenuzi. Ama-silo amathathu endaweni
kwesokunxele somdwebo womdwebo kukhona ubukhona obusabekayo, obufanelekile
isikhumbuzo sezinhlekelele ze-Three Mile Island kanye
I-Chernobyl. UMhlophe uqinisa isixwayiso sakhe mayelana ne-athomu
amandla okubhubhisa amandla ngokudweba umngcele we
izinqola ezimboziwe eziyindilinga, okuyinkomba eqondile ku
ukubulawa kohlanga okungokomlando okwenziwa kumaNdiya aseMelika.
Esimeni samanje, izinqola zimelela okungenangqondo
"ukuzivikela" osekuphelelwe yisikhathi ezingozini zenuzi
izingozi zemishini kagesi. Ngokuhlanganisa izithombe zekhulu le-19
ngokumelene nengozi yezobuchwepheshe ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lama-20, yena
igcizelela ukungathi sรญna kosongo empilweni yomuntu
kanye nokuphila. Izinqola eziyindilinga ziphakamisa umuzwa ongafanele
yokuvikeleka okungamanga, okubonisa isimo sengqondo esandile emphakathini
e-United States nakwamanye amazwe asebenzisa izikhali zenuzi
amandla njengomthombo wamandla.UMhlophe wasebenzisa umsebenzi wakhe ukugxeka
Impi kaMongameli uGeorge Bush yaseGulf War ka-1991. Imithombo yakhe exubile
isithombe esinesihloko esithi "New World Bowl Vet" (Figure
5) igxeka ukushisekela izwe okukha phezulu okwakubusa
Ukwazi kwaseMelika ngesikhathi sokuqhuma kwamabhomu
I-Iraq. Umdwebi ugcizelela ukumbozwa okufihlekile
Isigqoko sebhola lezinyawo phezulu kwesithombe esibaziwe, ngokubhuqa
ukuveza ukunqoba/ukulahlekelwa okulula komphakathi omningi
inkulumo ngesikhathi seGulf War. Ukuthi shazi kancane, nokho,
ikhombisa ugebhezi lwekhanda lomuntu ngaphansi kwesigqoko."Hamba NoMoya" Kwakhe
(Umdwebo 6) Umdwebo we-acrylic ugxile kwabesifazane base-Iraqi
izisulu phezulu kwesokunxele. Cishe indiva yi-
Imithombo yezindaba yaseMelika, izinkulungwane ezingenakubalwa zamasosha ase-Iraq
futhi izakhamuzi zabhubha, iningi labo lafa
abashisekeli neze ukuvikela uSaddam Hussein. Abesifazane
abasindile basala bebhekana nosizi nobunzima be
ukulahlekelwa kwabo. Iphampu yegesi kwesokudla kanye nokukhuphuka
uphawu lwe-Union 76 ezansi kwesokunxele lusikisela ukuthi uwoyela
izithakazelo zihlala ziyisizathu esiyinhloko saseMelika
ukubandakanyeka ePersian Gulf.Eminyakeni yamuva, u-Ian White useqalile
ezinhlotsheni eziningi zobuciko bomphakathi. Omunye wakhe kakhulu
imizamo yokucabanga ukufakwa kuka-1993 okunesihloko
"25 Uzokuthola 25: Funda 'Em Futhi Ukhale" (Figure
7). Ukupenda kabusha umshini wokuthengisa ojwayelekile wezingane
etholakala ezitolo ezinkulu eziningi zaseMelika, waguqula i
ithuluzi elisuka kumkhiqizi wemali engenayo ongenacala ukuya ku-
inkundla yezemfundo nokugxekwa komphakathi. Okumhlophe kunakho
wafaka izibhamu zepulasitiki eziyisishiyagalombili ezihlukene ezitsheni, ngasinye
ngomlayezo ophrintiwe ohlinzeka ngezibalo mayelana
udlame, ubugebengu, nezibhamu, ikakhulukazi e-African American
imiphakathi. Ezinye zezitsha zepulasitiki zinakho
ozankosi abancane, uphawu lwekhulu lama-20 lwenkathi yobugqila
amaketanga.Ngo-1994, umculi wabulala a
"i-guerrilla" lapho efaka i-
umdwebo osesithombeni othize (Umfanekiso 8) odongeni olubambayo
I-Forest Lawn Drive eNyakatho Hollywood. Lo mgwaqo unje
itholakala eduze ne-Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum,
Idolobha Lokuhamba, kanye ne-Forest Lawn Memorial Park kanye ne-Mortuary.
Umdwebo odongeni ubonisa izimpawu ezintathu zezindlu ezithengiswayo ezinamagama
kulezi zindawo ezintathu ezikhangayo. Izithombe ezingezansi kombhalo
ziqukethe inhlanganisela yecosmos yoMdabu waseMelika
isihlangu kanye ne-mandala yaseNtshonalanga Afrika.Njengoba uMhlophe echaza ekukhishweni kwezindaba
ehambisana nalo mzamo wabashokobezi, i-Autry Museum
yenza kube nothando umngcele waseNtshonalanga futhi ilulaza aboMdabu
Iminikelo yamaMelika ekuthuthukisweni kwemingcele. Ukuhamba
Idolobhana lihlonipha umlando wesitimela waseMelika ngaphandle kokudalula
noma yikuphi okulimazayo komuntu kanye nemvelo
imiphumela yalo mlando. I-Forest Lawn Cemetery, a
indawo yezivakashi eyaziwayo e-Los Angeles, iyisibonelo se
indawo yokungcwaba yaseYurophu ethola ngokungagxeki
ukunakwa nokuvikelwa okungenamibandela.Uneminyaka engu-30 kuphela ubudala, u-Ian White une
isivele isungule irekhodi elibonakalayo lokusebenza ngempumelelo
ubuciko bezepolitiki. Imizamo yakhe yakamuva iphakamisa ukwanda
umuzwa wesilinganiso nobunkimbinkimbi, ikakhulukazi umphakathi wakhe
amaphrojekthi abandakanya ukubamba iqhaza kwababukeli.
Ummeleli omuhle womphakathi okhulayo waseLos
Abaculi base-Afrika baseMelika abazinze e-Angeles, umbono wakhe oyingqayizivele
uyaqhubeka nomzabalazo wokulwa nokungabi nabulungiswa okuhlukahlukene kwe
umphakathi wanamuhla. ZNgibonga kakhulu ukwesekwa ngu
i-UCLA Institute of American Cultures kanye neSikhungo
zezifundo zase-Afrika zaseMelika ekuhlinzekeni ukwesekwa
Lesi sihloko.