Diana Cazares Photo Write Essay Nightlife

October 28, 2013
Dear Dr. Mitchell, I found this assignment somewhat challenging to me, since it is sometimes hard for me to find the correct words that would get my point across, in this case, to describe a painting. I came across this painting by Archibald John Motley Jr. named “Nightlife”. It caught my eye because of all the activity that was going on in it, as well as the vibrant colors seen in this painting. It seemed like such a happy scene that it made me smile.
Archibald was an African-American painter who portrayed the vibrancy of African American culture in his work. He was born on October 7, 1891 in New Orleans, Louisiana and died on January 16, 1981 at the age of 89 in Chicago, Illinois. He is one of the major contributors to the Harlem Renaissance, or the New Negro Movement, a time in which African American art reached new heights not only in New York but across America. His early paintings of night scenes, and crowd scenes were influenced by jazz culture, and are perhaps his most popular and most prolific.
It looks like with all the dancing, drinking, and socializing going on, they would forget the outside world. I can imagine how troubles would slide off, for a moment of fun and abandon. I hope I can give this painting justice with my words. Sincerely,
Diana Cazares

Diana Cazares
Dr. Marcia Mitchell
English-1301-VF1
October 28, 2013

Archibald John Motley Jr.
American, 1891-1981
Nightlife, 1943

“Nightlife”
I came across this painting after searching and searching all of the links provided. I am drawn to vibrant colors, music, and dancing, so it was no surprise that this particular painting had caught my eye. Music helps me in my troubled times, somehow sways my thoughts to more positive ones. What Archibald depicts in this painting is a contrast as to what was going on in reality. Racism roamed among African-American society but in the midst of this club, all you can see is people making the most of their life, relishing in the jazz music.
As I stare at this picture, I see a crowd of African-American people enjoying a night at a cabaret, as it was called back then. In the background you see two bartenders tending to the needs of their customers. The wall is lined with countless selection of spirits, tempting the already intoxicated patrons. You can see people sitting down at the counter, awaiting someone to pull them up to dance and forget the outside world. Others are already looking three sheets to the wind, their heads on the counter. Couples sitting at tables, equally taking pleasure in the music, yet still caught up in each other.
The music seems to be stimulating their senses into wild abandon. There’s a jukebox to the right blasting the invigorating tunes. So much movement everywhere with people dancing to the music, you could almost hear it from the look on their faces. The women fully clad in their best dresses outfitted for exactly this scene. Blue, green, yellow, purple, red colors inviting you to look intently at such uninhibited fun, almost making you wish you were in that scene yourself.

References
“Archibald Motley.” n.d. Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2013, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Motley#Nightlife
Archibald John Motley Jr. Nightlife. 1943. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. The Art Institute of Chicago (2013). About this Artwork: Nightlife. Retrieved from http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/117266?search_no=24&index=1

References: “Archibald Motley.” n.d. Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2013, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Motley#Nightlife Archibald John Motley Jr. Nightlife. 1943. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. The Art Institute of Chicago (2013). About this Artwork: Nightlife. Retrieved from http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/117266?search_no=24&index=1