Edouard Duval-Carrié, The Sublime, and Genre

Edouard Duval-Carrié's collection of art, collectively known under the title "Decolonizing Refinement," is a breathtakingly vibrant collection that, according to the artist himself, aims to shed light on a history “often untold. This history has, indeed, masked slavery, racism, and economic injustice with the ornamentation of of genteel society." In this exhibit, it seems that Duval-Carrié wishes to draw attention to a type of expression that was historically repressed as well - the notion and practice of "Black Art."

Through his use of bright colors, multiple mediums, an affinity for sparkles, and the use of many materials that once were symbols of black suppression (sugar, turpentine, etc.,) he manages to break through genres and offer genre an unique challenge: to redefine itself. Devitt tells us that "Genres develop, then, because they respond appropriately to situations that writers encounter repeatedly. In principle, that is, writers first respond in fitting ways and hence similarly to recurring situations; then, the similarities among those appropriate responses become established as generic conventions. In practice, of course, genres already exist and hence already constrain responses to situations" (Devitt 576).


Perhaps Duval-Carrié is trying to draw attention to a dilemma in this statement: has genre been created and perpetuated solely by oppressors in some contexts, such as what can and cannot be "art"? Devitt also notes that "Even with a more comprehensive definition of situation, one problem remains with our treatment of genre as response to recurring situation: where does the 'situation' come from? In light of recent non-foundational philosophy and social construction, I would suggest that our construction of genre is what helps us to construct a situation. Genre not only responds to but also constructs recurring situation" (Devitt 577). By creating an exhibition of art that aims to reclaim some of the things black individuals have typically and historically been deprived of (art, materials, etc.,) we can see how Duval-Carrié wishes to disrupt genre-making and perpetuating, and wants to break conventions that have previously been "assigned" to him, so to speak.

As for the connection with Longinus's On the Sublime, I can only image what Edouard Duval-Carrié's idea of the Sublime might be. But, I can image that he would identify with "an impact that awakens audience members to their 'higher natures'," (Classical Rhetoric intro) and perhaps even "[...] there is nothing so productive of grandeur as noble emotion in the right place” (Longinus 350). Perhaps the creation of this art itself could be an awakening for not only Duval-Carrié, but for his community as a whole, something that when gazed by audiences elevates them to 'higher states' of consciousness and awareness to not only the struggle of African Americans, but to the excellence and vibrancy of their culture as well. Perhaps he wishes to bring audiences and members of his community closer to the Sublime, the noble emotion that it implies, and finally create a narrative through art and other genres that duly recognizes and acknowledges this part of cultural history that often gets mistold, or untold entirely.


Sources:

Devitt, Amy J. “Generalizing about Genre: New Conceptions of an Old Concept.” College Composition and Communication 44.4 (Dec. 1993): 573-86.

Longinus. “From On the Sublime.” The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present, Second Edition. Ed. Patricia Bizzell and Bruce Herzberg. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 344-58.