High Life, Harlem 1940

William H. Johnson created this gouache on paper titled "High Life, Harlem" during the 1930s or 40s. The simple shapes and bright colors used in this piece point towards the influence of modernism, but here we see it being deployed in the service of representing the artist’s own community. This work belongs to a period when Harlem was a vibrant center for Black American culture and Johnson was part of the Harlem Renaissance, and he often depicted scenes of everyday life there. Look at the way Johnson uses color and shape to convey a sense of style and sophistication in his figures. In the man's confident posture and the woman’s fashionable hat, we see visual signs of urban life and culture. Johnson was committed to representing the experiences of African Americans, and his work offers us a window into a specific time and place. With further research into the social and cultural history of Harlem, we can understand this image not only as a representation of urban life, but also as a statement of cultural pride.