Focus on Irony of Negro Policeman and discuss the Analysis.
The figure in the artwork—a black man dressed in a midnight blue police uniform—represents the totalitarian black mass. The hat that frames the head of the policeman resembles a cage, and represents what Basquiat believes are the constrained independent perceptions of African-Americans at the time, and how constrained the policeman's own perceptions were within white society. Basquiat drew upon his Haitian heritage by painting a hat that resembles the top hat associated with Baron Samedi of the Gede family of lwa, who embody the powers of death in Haitian Vodou.Race was one of the most important themes in Basquiat's oeuvre. He consistently placed the black figure at the center of his artwork because as he stated: "Black people are never really portrayed realistically in...I mean, not even portrayed in modern art enough." However, by titling the artwork "IRONY OF NEGRO PLCEMN" next to the figure, Basquiat is suggesting irony in that the oppressed is wearing the uniform of the oppressor. Author Jana Evans Braziel noted: The elided vowels in the word "policeman" (painted onto the wood panel as "PLCEMN") suggest that the "Negro Policeman" is merely a placement: a position or cog within the machine; as a placement, there can also be a replacement: to the system, he is expendable.Irony of a Negro Policeman was painted the same year Basquiat created La Hara (1981), a menacing depiction of a white policeman. However the contrast of intimidation are opposites. The black officer in Irony of a Negro Policeman is outlined in white with a mask-like face, symbolizing hypocrisy, whereas La Hara's cryptic message is conveyed with brutal-looking skeleton of a white officer.
lwa police uniform La Hara African-Americans top hat white society Baron Samedi totalitarian Gede Haitian Vodou