ROMARE BEARDEN: PARIS BLUES, PAINTING JAZZ

Bearden (1911 1988) was a prominent African American artist often described as the consummate jazz painter, known for his innovative collages that explored themes of Black American culture, history, and personal experiences. This publication reexamines Bearden s life and work in the context of jazz, tracing the musician s impact from the artists earliest oil paintings to his iconic collages. In 1981, Bearden created nineteen collages that the artist called his 'Paris Blues,' or simply 'Jazz,' series.