Name/Title
Pearl Primus - Speak to Me of RiversEntry/Object ID
5798Description
Dancer Pearl Primus kneels down with arms outstretched and palms facing outward. She is dressed in black and sits in front of a blank wall and floor. Her shadow projects against the wall.Context
Raised in Southern California, Barbara Morgan began her career as a photographer after moving to New York City in 1930. Her first book (which she is still best known for) is titled ‘Martha Graham: Sixteen Dances in Photographs’, a selection of photos taken of dancers from Martha Graham's dance company. Here, we see Pearl Primus performing her dance that was likely inspired by the Langston Hughes poem ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers.’ Primus was known to use dance as a form of art beyond "art for art's sake." She danced to convey messages and morals, and focused heavily on the specific promotion of African dance. You can read her statement here: https://www.oberlinlibstaff.com/acceleratedmotion/primary_sources/texts/americanidentities/my_statement.pdfAcquisition
Notes
Collection of DePaul Art MuseumEthnography
Notes
North America, United States
American
North America
United StatesInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
InscriptionLocation
BTranscription
Barbara Morgan - 1944, Pearl Primus - Speak to Me of RiversMaterial/Technique
InkDimensions
Dimension Description
imageWidth
17-1/2 inLength
13-1/4 inDimension Description
sheetWidth
18-7/8 inLength
15-7/8 in