The Jazz Singers: Tension and Fluidity in Identity

Archibald Motley Jr. was an important figure of Harlem Renaissance art. His painting titled The Jazz Singers is a good representation of the cultural tension and issues of identity that pervaded the movement. This tension is made especially clear through the appearance of the individuals in the painting and Motley’s reference to Jazz music. Five men stand side to side, each with his mouth open singing in apparent harmony. The man on the left strums a guitar and has his hat tipped to one side. The other four men’s arms are to their sides and seem to be stretching to hit a note. All of the men except one, second from the left, are wearing ties and slacks. The man second from the left appears to be wearing jeans and a shirt open all the way down his chest. The man second from the right is bald and is the only one without a dress hat on. The man on the far right, who appears to be slightly behind the others, has a hand up to his mouth as if to channel his voice toward the listeners who are not depicted.

            The first visual representation that sticks out is the physical appearance of the men in the painting. Motley exaggerates the size of each man’s lips. This is especially pronounced, because their mouths are open wide to sing. Motley’s depiction of their lips seems somewhat derogatory, because large lips have long been a stereotypical and racist symbol of people of African descent. In this painting, however, Motley seems to be speaking to a black audience, calling to them to embrace what makes them inherently unique and valuable.

            The depiction of the men’s lips is in stark contrast to the depiction of their clothing. Every man except one is in a suit, tie, and slacks: clothing of the white man. There is tension between the obviously black features of their faces and the apparently white features of their clothing. This tension implies an internal struggle—either within these men or within Motley, or both—between their black heritage and their desire to fit in to white society. Motley further illustrates this struggle in the variety of skin tones among the men. Three men have dark black complexions (the two on the far left and the one on the far right), one man has a comparatively light complexion (the man second from the right), and one man’s complexion is right in the middle of the two (where he also happens to stand in the painting). The spectrum of skin tones and their relative positions in the painting point toward the middle. Identity is in fact mixed. The man standing in the middle not only has the most moderate skin tone, but wears the most proper suit and tie and has his head turned to the side, accentuating the exaggerated size of his lips. He is the most perfect mix of the two cultures portrayed by Motley in this painting.

            The title of the piece, The Jazz Singers, along with the actions of the men depicted, has some powerful ties to African American identity. Jazz music was central to the culture in African American communities during the 1920s. These communities, like Harlem, were often found in large cities. Jazz pervaded night clubs and bars, homes and streets. Progression of the music is based on feeling and rhythm, providing the performers and listeners a new experience every time it is. Jazz music is very free and open in form. Constraints and boundaries common to most genres of music such as rhythm, meter, scale, and timbre are much more fluid in Jazz. The performer decides just how much he/she wants to conform to these constraints during each performance, according to their mood.

             The fact that the men in the painting are playing Jazz music implies their freedom of spirit. The open form of Jazz, combined with the physical portrayal of identity mentioned above, suggests that the identity of the men is open as well. As musicians, the men are able to decide how their piece is to be performed. In connection, these men are also able to decide how their identity is to be portrayed. It would be no contradiction to their personal identity if they felt a little more passion for their African heritage one day, and a little more drive for gain in the white capitalist society the next. It is believed by many that Jazz music is the only truly American art form, and as such, it would be truly American to apply the openness and fluidity of boundaries found in Jazz to one’s own life and identity.

            Jazz music’s effect on boundaries has the ability to relieve some of the tensions pressing on the men in the painting, and possibly those on Motley. Because Jazz music, and especially the culture that it inspires/derives from, is so fluid, the boundaries of social norms and constraints are able to bend and accommodate the tension within. The identities portrayed in the painting all fit together well, into a single whole. The painting exudes a feeling of completeness despite all the tension within the men, collectively and individually. Because the music comes from within the soul, whatever comes out will be beautiful and significant. Likewise, as long as one’s identity comes from within his/her soul, it too will be beautiful and significant.

            The Jazz Singers is a noteworthy representation of the identity and cultural tensions prevalent during the Harlem Renaissance. Motley’s portrayal of physical appearance and Jazz music combine to convey how identity can be as fluid as the music. Though each man appears very different, they can utilize the fluidity of the music to join voices in perfect harmony.