Task 1: Mind Map
Art speaks out, which means that art has the capacity
to spread a message through its elements in the
compositions. Through the evolution of art, artists
have helped through portraying messages of issues
in the environment caused by humans, these
messages are expressed through the colors, texture,
and more of the compositions. They have expressed
their compositions through the use of aesthetics to
attract audiences and to spread an effective
message, through interpretation of the composition
by the audience based on the structure and style of
the composition, will led to a change in the society
leading to sustainability.
Globalization has led to the change in ideologies
through the passage of time, they have played a
significant role in the segregation, segregation
through described by the term means the unequal
distribution of opportunities, that are limited to the
people that are entitled as “Black”. Artists such as
Kerry James Marshall help spread the message of
unequal distribution of opportunities through his
compositions, where he uses aesthetics like color,
texture to attract the audiences, who use
interpretation in order to understand the composition,
and infer the message portrayed through the
composition.
Segregation was chosen as the topic for this unit as I
have understood through time that segregation plays
a major role in our society that has an affect globally
and locally.
Kerry James Marshall Primary Source
The artist was chosen as the inspiration from an
interview which has been listed in Apollo magazine
with Kerry James Marshall. Where they talk about the
characterization and setting of black individuals in his
compositions.
Image 1, Photograph of Kerry James Marshall,
London, October 2018, https://www.apollo-
magazine.com/kerry-james-marshall-interview/
Kerry James Marshall a Post- Modernism artist,
emphasizes his work on race, and empowering the
world through the hidden meanings in his
Image 2, Primary Source, Screenshot of the
compositions, that inspires people worldwide in interview, by Gabriel Coxhead, 13th July 2019,
conveying the message of Black Empowerment and https://www.apollo-magazine.com/kerry-james-
marshall-interview/
eradication of segregation.
This artist was chosen as the inspiration for these
The Kerry James Marshall talks about how Aesthetics
tasks due to his contribution to the world in the part of
play a role in his compositions as he merges
spreading the idea of black empowerment to prevent
complementing colours together that leave the
segregation of race.
audience in a response. Interpretation of the
artworks by the audience aid in the understanding
of the compositions.
Through the interview Kerry James Marshall told
the purpose of his compositions. Which was that
“They’re fairly straightforward, and kind of
rudimentary. It’s the rudimentary application of
paint to a surface that arrives at a configuration that
seems satisfying” he said.1 As his works was
discussed he told how his strictures for black
people, he stated that he was trying to make
something where there’s no subtext, where the
paintings simply are what they are and they have
a kind of sufficiency by being what they are,
therefore no hidden meaning and promoting a
cause which is evident throughout.
beauty school of culture and better homes better
Gardens which were both by Kerry James Marshall.
The Composition is a post-modernist painting, known
as school of beauty, school of Culture showing the
fellowship of the black race during the Civil Rights
movement and a multi-cultured community. The use
of pop art in the composition shows joy and
happiness. The composition also shows a white
figure, which shows that the community is inclusive to
all races and shows multiculturism.
The composition helps the audience understand the
beauty of black women and how it is often haunted
and constrained by the mainstream culture of the
white beauty standards. The scene shows the
celebration of black women’s beauty and
independent identity, the evidence of this can be seen
through the heart-shaped mirrors on the walls and the
ingrained words “Dark” and “Lovely” which are
repeated on posters as well as the mirrors, which
shows the encouragement of the black races beauty
and their identity.

Critical Analysis:

Comparing two compositions of the artist will help

in the understanding of his work as he uses
different elements in his compositions which make
them different. This critical analysis will help in
understanding the use of elements and the variety
of colour in his compositions.

Critical Analysis 1-
The critical Analysis will be between school of

1 - interview, by Gabriel Coxhead, 13th July 2019, https://www.apollo-magazine.com/kerry-james-marshall-interview/

Critical Analysis 1:

Form and medium- The composition is Multiculturalism- The use of a Female

a painting using acrylic colors by Kerry White Figure shows Multiculturalism,

James Marshall during the civil rights which is a new element that differs from

movement, in the effort to empower the other compositions by him.

black race in United States of America.

Diversity- The use of several black

figures shows fellowship and diversity.
Size and Scale- The middle ground of
Puts emphasis on the race and
the composition is compact with the use
empowers it in a way that can help in
of lines to align the figures, whereas the
spreading a message.
positive space in the foreground is free
and lets the eye focus on the main figures
that use a brighter color palette to draw
attention. There was a use of space in Imagery- The composition shows an

the center is used to differentiate accent of pop art imagery through the

between size of the figures and make the use of the head in the centre of the

composition look more realistic. composition that hints for a non-fictional

Image 3, Critical Analysis composition 1, School of Beauty School of Culture, Kerry character who is a white race, which
James Marshall, 107 7/8 × 157 7/8 Inches, Acrylic on Canvas, https://www.apollo- entails a commonly used character in any
Lines and Shapes- The composition magazine.com/kerry-james-marshall-interview/ film or art work by basic artists.
used a variety of lines and shapes to
indulge the audience’s eyes which
Colour value- The colours used in his composition complement each other in order to
helped in forming the picture. The Mood- The bright colours used shows
leave a response to the audience due to the aesthetically pleasing nature. These colours
composition used different lines in the the mood of the composition that is
are important as the skin of the characters in the compositions often merge with the
background of the composition which joyous and happiness. The mood is also
background which puts emphasis on the character.
makes it look three dimensional and real. shown through the posture of the

The composition also used shapes to characters in the artworks.

make shadows of the figures to make it Proportion- This can be seen through the alignment of the figures that the proportion of
realistic. the composition is distributed unevenly as the compositions is concentrated in the sides
with different pictorial elements, where the foreground is left to only 2 and 3 figures that
represent the message.
Critical Analysis 2:
The second critical analysis is Better homes, better gardens, a composition made in 1994 that signifies the impact of the civil rights movement and history towards its making.
The composition is a piece that shows the black figures similar to that of the black folk art and is uses unique colour palette to make it a significant work, the use of various
pictorial elements that signify the complexity of life showcases the challenges of the black race, while complementing them about their strength and ability to fight against
problems. Better Homes, Better Gardens is part of a series of compositions called the “Garden Project”. The compositions in the entire garden project show the complexity
of life in low-income housing. This composition is rich in references to art history, and social history, which makes it significant and rich in the message its conveying.

Individual principle- The composition Color value, texture and space- The
uses balance which is achieved color palette used in the composition is
through the use of colors and mainly the use of contrasting colors.
symmetry. Harmony was achieved in With the use of realistic colors and
this composition by balancing all the texture on the plants and bright
various pictorial elements like the use contrasting colors on the figures. The
of proportion to make the background of the composition is the
infrastructure, roads in the buildings and the positive space is the
background, board and the figures. figures.

Size and Scale- The composition

Form and medium- The composition is
consist of the figures in the foreground
an acrylic painting. This art form was
that act as the main attraction to the
used as it can give a more cartoon and
composition. Where the structure
unrealistic notion to the composition, as
plays an important role in keeping the
well as help give texture to the
audience engaged.
composition which will help convey the
message of the composition.
Lines and Shapes- The background
Image 4, Critical Analysis composition 2, Better Home Better Gardens, Kerry James
of the work consist of the sky, the
Marshall, 100 x 142 Inches, Acrylic on Canvas, Subject matter and appearance- His
building and mostly the road where
https://denverartmuseum.org/edu/object/better-homes-better-gardens compositions are unique due to the
the lines play a role in drawing the
figures in the composition, which are
attention towards the center figures.
unique and are originally inspired by
The shapes of the tree, plants and
black folk art. Thus, this composition
shadow plays a role in making the
talks about black empowerment.
composition realistic.
Synopsis of critical analysis #1:
The critical analysis of School of Beauty School of
Culture helped me understand the use of pictorial
elements in the compositions and their role in
spreading a message of black empowerment and
culture which can help me understand the messages
and elements I can use in my composition to show
the fall of segregation through black empowerment.
This critical analysis showed the form, medium,
symmetry, lines, shapes, subject matter, individual
principle and other elements that helped me be
inspired to make a similar composition.
Synopsis of critical analysis #2:
The second critical analysis of Better Home Better
Gardens was done with another composition by Kerry
James Marshall but has a partially different theme, as
it shows black empowerment by showing the
complexity of life and its difficulties as well as the
ability for them to fight those challenges through
effort. Similar elements can help show my theme that
can symbolize messages that can help spread
awareness.
Comparative study
The comparative study is between two artforms which
are by two different post modernists artists, these
artforms are painting and sculpture and the artists are
Kerry James Marshall and Dana King respectively.
Both artists focus on one prominent issue that
concerns the world which is black degradation and
they aim to support and take a stance towards the
empowerment of the race through the medium of their
compositions. Even though both talk about a
concerning topic, they have a lot they differ in due to
Image 4, Comparative study composition 1, School of
the change in art form and how they are changing the Beauty School of Culture, Kerry James Marshall, 107
space to show the message of the composition. 7/8 × 157 7/8 Inches, Acrylic on Canvas,
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/kerry-james-
The first comparative study composition is School of marshall-interview/
Beauty and school of culture by Kerry James
Marshall. Where the compositions shows hints of
multiculturalism. he also uses hints of pop culture
imagery with a contrasting palette.
The second composition is guided by Justice which
is a sculpture by Dana King, that also focuses on
black empowerment, similar to Kerry James
Marshall. A civil rights monument is "Guided by
Justice" of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This
sculpture represents the quiet constancy of women
who are determined to make a difference to the rising
Image 5, Comparative study 2, Guided by Justice,
human impact on the environment, by taking
Dana King, Variable, Sculpture,
appropriate measures.
https://danakingart.com/#/guided-by-justice/

Comparative Study 1: Painting
The composition was a rectangular shaped painting that used the middle
ground to highlight the main figures in the centre that are emphasized
Shape/Form
through the lack of compactness and the use of different sizes between
figures.
Space The space of the composition was divided based on which are should
attract the audience which was done using the colours along with the space.
There was a use of several tones used throughout the composition with the
Tone
use brighter colours in the centre of the composition.
Texture In the composition texture was mostly used in the hair to show the
traditional hair of African Americans, this is unique for the composition.
There was a balance in the composition due to the spread of figures all over
Balance
the composition without a negative space in the composition.
There was a vast number of colours used that help the audience understand
Variety
the mood of the composition and the emotions it depicts.
c
Comparative Study 2: Sculpture
The composition consists of 3 sculptures that used various shapes and
sizes to differentiate between the figures, for example a smaller shape
was used for the old women which was the centre of the composition.
The space was used to depict the meaning of the question this is
because the artists distributed the sculptures to show the footsteps
along with the figures which depicts the message of black
empowerment.
There was a use of only one tone throughout the composition, this is
because the sculpture wanted to emphasis more on the message than
the use of colours to depict the idea.
Texture in this composition was used to show the age of the figures in
the composition. Wrinkles demonstrate aging in the foreground figure in
the centre.
The composition was balanced as there was an equal distribution of the
different sculptures without a uneven area
There was a use of different emotions on the different sculptures that
shows what the artists wants to convey through the composition.
 The theme of the composition is to help the audience understand the
The theme of the composition is to focus on the cultural aspects of different
Theme role of women during the civil rights movement and how they made a
races and is Multi-Cultural.
difference through standing up for a cause

Lines in the composition are used in the shadows, and infrastructure. The
Lines were used in making the footsteps and the emotions on the face
Line lines give the composition a more realistic appearance and also shows
which show the expression of the figure.
different aspects to where it can be used, such as the attire.

The colour used in the composition is bright and vibrant, that shows the joy
and happiness in the composition, However the composition consists of the
The colours used in this work were monochromatic and it was limited to
Colour and white figure in the centre, that shows past ideologies and an equal society,
one colour, but the negative space which is the background has a mild
composition because the author is being inclusive. The composition also has a pop art
colour pop that allows the figures in the composition to stand out.
imagery that shows the different aspects which the artist involves into his
painting and what he is trying to convey in his compositions.

The use of black and white figures in the composition shows that the people
The patterns used in the composition account to the footsteps in the
Symbolism and are celebrating themselves, that is also shown through the colours and
work and this symbolises the barriers they got in their way and how they
Patterns symbols shown in the posters. The composition encourages a diverse group
effectively dodged them.
in the society and tries to eradicate the thought of inequality.

Synopsis of Comparative study:

After thorough analysis of the 2 artworks that have a similar theme, this helped understand the different elements that help in spreading an effective message of the
composition which is black empowerment and rights, that was shown throughout both artworks, which will help me develop my skills while making sketches and choosing
the mediums. Both artworks use a different medium and color palette to illustrate the message of the composition and its role. The elements that were examined were
shape/form, space, tone, texture, balance, variety, theme, line, color, symbolism and patterns. There was a difference in the color palette used, the medium, and the use of
space, this showed the difference in the showcase of the composition but seems to convey a similar message.
Reflection
Kerry James Marshalls deep exploration of the The next task I would focuses on segregation and the
black identity and visibility helped several audiences empowerment of a black encouraged community and
realize the importance of all races. His work takes a diverse society.
its cues from the social, and cultural history, which
I made 2 composition that can support my stance on
expands how we can conceive figurative painting
my chosen theme and help me develop my skills
through the use of black figures and culture to
further in understanding how I can improve my
spread encouragement to all coloured people.
compositions through appropriate guidance.
The compositions by Kerry James Marshall also
used medium as an important material for
conveying the message of the composition.
However, the compositions change their message
according to the colour, the colour display the
message of the composition, if there is a dull colour
used in the background of the colour then the
composition displays a sad image and if bright
colours are used then the composition has a joyful
and happy message or mood. This contrast is
shown in the critical analysis between two different
compositions by Kerry James Marshall, the
composition, however, have a contradicting emotion Composition 2: “Looking into the haze”, Sketch, 21 x

shown. 29.7 cm

For future reference, I would focus on the similar

topic as I am vastly inspired by the growing
compositions and ideas on the Empowerment of the
black race and coloured race. I am continuing my
topic as segregation and the composition I chose for
Composition 1: “Alone”, Sketch, 21 x 29.7 cm
analysing is School of Beauty, School of Culture.
Connection to the Unit Matrix- ATL skill- Profiles-

Key concept: The Key Concept Aesthetics shows The ATL skills I developed throughout this task The IB learner profiles I developed throughout
how one composition can be more effective in include: this task include:
spreading a message through its aesthetically
Social skills: Balanced- I used my work to portray a balance on
pleasing structure and use of colours.
the intellectual and Emotional balance of the black
• Collaboration: I interacted with my mentor and race and also tried to display culture in in my
Related Concept: The Related Concept friends in order to receive vital information that compositions through miniscule details.
Interpretation shows how works by different artists helped me understand what else I can use my
can be effectively interpreted from their artworks and sketches to portray and what my final works Communicator- I believe that I demonstrates a
how they are used to spread a message. would look like. wide range of knowledge on history of segregation
and its role now, along with the culture and
Global Context: Globalization and sustainability Communication skills:
traditions of the black race and colored individuals
of the world can help achieve a more equal society as well as significant knowledge on the famous
• Communication: as I communicated with
with limit amount of discrimination on race or culture. individuals that helped eradicate the
various people such as my mentors in order to
The compositions by Marshall helped achieve a more discrimination and assault, that the black race
receive information and understand what the task
equal and sustainable society by spreading faces.
requires from me and what I want to portray
awareness.
through my works.
Thinker- as I interpreted data on the artist and
Statement of Inquiry: The arts draw attention to used my knowledge to make a sketches that show
Thinking Skills:
issues human impact on the environment what I have learnt and predominantly shows my
(Locally and Globally) which means that through the • Creative Thinking skills: As I demonstrated pre-existing knowledge on the topic.
use of their compositions hey help trigger an various amount of techniques through my
emotional response to the audience in order to take compositions in the end of my task that show my Inquiry skills- as I interpreted data and found
a stance on the issue they are concerning about. understanding on how I want to continue to make significant data on Kerry James Marshall and his
more of my sketches. compositions that helped my research and the
helped me understand his compositions.