My initial artwork choice, Romare Bearden, Pittsburgh Memory 1964

Bearden created this piece of art by producing a small collage, then photographing and enlarging it. It reflects the artists personal history and the wider history of Black America, made as a response to the civil rights movement in the United States. The collage allowed Bearden to invent new scenes using existing images from magazines creating alternative representations of African American experience to those offered by photojournalism and advertising.

Two projections in which he recalls his origins ''Mysteries,'' set in North Carolina, and ''Pittsburgh Memories,'' the city where he spent his boyhood are distinguished by extreme close-ups of faces that carry the drama. The faceting, the geometric break-up of the faces of the two boys who confront the viewer in ''Pittsburgh Memories,'' is inspired by African masks and what is described as primitive art in general. Bearden incorporates such references with great sophistication and a range of meaning. The visual jumble of each of the protagonists' faces is much like extreme scarring, and reflects a rough and dangerous growing up.

As many advertisers recognize nowadays, simple black and white can have real punch and urgency. Viewers are not beguiled by tints and hues so are likely to pay attention. This is what attracted me to this particular image. Its simple use of black and white adds a sense of simplicity to the collage. Small hints of colours including shades are brown are scattered around the collage almost bringing it to life and visually forcing the viewer to look deeper into the meaning of the image (the history of black America).  

(References: https://www.nga.gov/feature/bearden/170, 025.htm, http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/4aa/4aa156.htm)

Initially this was my chosen art piece to base the three minute short film on. my thoughts were to base the film on our multicultural society that we live in today, linking to the central theme of the image (Race). 

However, after meeting with my group we came up with the decision to choose Barbara Kruger's who owns what image. My thoughts in regards to the narrative of the film was to focus on the theme of copyright and deeply look into who actually owns anything in todays society. (see full narrative summary on group post)