Project Descriptions
Liam B., Chyanne M. | Sculpture
A Split Decision
We wanted to depict the narrator and how he was torn between the two sides of himself. The thought bubbles show how he was treated when he was considered to be specifically black or specifically white. We added quotes from the book that related to how he felt being part of both of the races.
Marissa B. | Two-sided Mirror
Faces of Life
My project represents the two sides that the main character feels throughout the book. I used quotes from the book to show how he feels about both sides. On one side I used watered-down paint and blotted it down to give it a darker appeal. The side with the paint would be the “Black” side and the other side would be the “White” side. This gives us a view of how he felt and saw himself in the book.
Evan B. | Saxophone Choir Composition
The Decision
My project takes the form of something I have been doing since 6th grade. I have always had an interest in music, so being able to create a story out of notes and rhythms is exciting to me. The piece is called “The Decision”. I named it this because there are two melodies present in the piece, and at the 3rd section, you can hear them clashing with each other, until it gets resolved into the ending of the piece, where our main character makes his choice.
Rylee B. | Minecraft Sculpture
Two Sided
My project is a sculpture that I made in the video game; minecraft. My sculpture shows that the main character in the book Ex Colored Man sees himself differently than what people say he is. The book explains in many different ways that the main character is one race is one place, and a different race in the other by the way people treat him. The main character is often confused about what his race actually is. So when he looks at himself in the mirror he doesn’t know what he sees.
Sabrina C. | Art Canvas
Reflections
My piece is a visual representation of how the main character never stated whether he was black nor white. I focused on his reflection of himself and letting him be seen as both black and white but overall gray because the main character himself was trying to find where he belonged.
Olesya G. | Poetry
Colors and Shapes
This poem “Color and Shape” takes inspiration from the diversity and challenges that was brought forward in our discussions of the book. It talks about the diversity we face in everyday world, the differences between people and its importance. What affect the concept of diversity has on society, and how greatly it benefits from it. It talks about the people who come from different backgrounds, and those who did not let it stop them from achieving success, growing and maturing, building this world, the art and the literature that is all around; creating what is known and what is so familiar.
Kaydee G., Natalie L. | Sculpture
Confliction
We have decided to show on a mannequin head how it may feel to be part of two different races, and the conflict you feel. With this, we have come up with one side being one certain race. We used markers and a mannequin head that was unused for a while. The contrast between the two colors shows how it can seem on the inside but is shown on the outside of this singular head.
Maya G. | Art/Sculpture
Framework
Imagine being able to see exactly what the main character had seen on his adventure into finding out his heritage and who he was as a person. One side of the frame of the glasses is black while the other side is white but when looking inside you can see the way the author saw the life as a black man and the life of a white man, we join him as he learns his own story and connects both sides of his frame together to form himself.
Amber H. | Pencil Charcoal Drawing
The Life Of Yin And Yang
My great world text project is a representation of the white and black lifestyle. Each side displays key parts of the lifestyles, and how each race lives. One side has more space than the other side to represent having more opportunities, and having more in general. The shattered vase with the decaying flowers presents how for the blacks they don’t have a fair place to start at from birth, no matter how hard they try to blossom. On the left side there is a rose bloomed to its most beautiful and resplendent potential, showing how the white lifestyle has the best place to start at from birth full of rich opportunities. On the left side it displays travel, and richness. On the right side it shows a man playing piano representing ragtime, it also shows a rustic crumbling city representing poverty.
Brayden H. | Poster
Problems of Race
My project is a poster board that has a black and white side and each side has problems that black and white people have to deal with.
Alyssa I., Kirkland W. | Ragtime Medley Arrangement
A Nameless Narrative
Our project is an arrangement of the Ragtime The Entertainer By Scott Joplin and other songs composed by black artists of the time. It is meant to represent the importance of music to the main character in the book. The main character used Ragtime to get through his life and now we are using it to tell his story. We took some of the songs that were included in the extra text of the book. Some of those songs include: Poor Rosy, Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler, My Soul Wants Something That’s New, etc.
Drezden J. | Character IDs and Rationale
Assigning Identities
I was frustrated with the fact that the narrator never had a name but appeared to be switching identities when he needed to or was forced by conditions he faced. I created two identities for the character.
Massa J. | Music Composition
Lost
This song is a reflection of the confusion that the main character has throughout the book. The first verse contains lyrics that sample things that the character associates with black culture. It is over a simple jazz beat with blues influence. The second verse is essentially the same but with what the character associates with white culture. This verse is over a classical beat. Last, the chorus is a mixture of both. It represents the fusion of the two cultures the narrator feels as though he has to choose between.
Gavin P. | Concertina
Black and White Problems
This is a very simple visual representation of a black and white problem. When the concertina is folded, all you see is a black painted sheet and a white one. It’s when you unfurl the sheet that you see the whole gray area, which I feel can be applied to any part of the text in The Autobiography of an Ex-colored Man. I believe that as the book progresses, the narrator goes from a white child slowly moving through the gray to become a black young adult, then back to a gray adult.
Emma P. | Digital Animation
The Push and Pull
My project uses animation to show the main character’s struggles about his identity and where he belongs. This whole struggle takes place in his mind and it shows the pushing and pulling motions of him struggling between black or white, as well as where society wants to place him. This theme is present throughout the book where he cannot decide which side to take, so the animation also depicts the character growing to show the passage of time.
Jericho S. | Digital Drawing
The Unknown
Even before reading the book, I thought of doing a drawing like this, and after reading it I was 100% sure that this is the right thing to do. It’s a drawing of the narrator’s mask… or is it his true self?
Sophia S. | Digital Art
Alternate Cover
I believe that the book is deserving of a new cover that better conveys the characters identity. I created this alternate book cover using procreate on my ipad to display the characters ever changing relationship with his identity. I include themes such as music, travel, and gambling and use contrast between the image of the book and the image of the glass, as well as through color. I think this piece better represents how the character views his identity and changes it based on his surroundings and the people around him.
Evelyn S. | Digital Painting
Lenses of the World
My project is a visual representation of the main character’s decision to not choose black or white but to “let the world take [him] for what it would” (99). Most of the painting is in grayscale except for the lenses of a pair of glasses. Through them you can choose which way to see him.
MacKenzie V. | Poetry
The Untitled Poem
This poetic piece contrasts the colors black and white using historical value and color psychology. The poem being named “The Untitled Poem” relates to the book The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson by simply not giving the poem a real name, just as Johnson gave the main character no definitive name.
Krueger W. | Website
Ragtime VS Jazz
My project uses an interactive website to explore ragtime as compared to jazz. Throughout the book our main character talks about the piano being a large part of his life. He plays many forms of music, from classical to Ragtime. This experience allows users to listen and learn about jazz and ragtime in a fun and meaningful way.