Blondell Cummings stands as a pivotal figure in American dance, celebrated for her groundbreaking approach to choreography and video art. Her unique concept, “Dance Pictures,” effectively blurred the lines between static visual imagery and the dynamic essence of movement, allowing her to deeply explore everyday rituals and the heartfelt narratives of Black domestic life. Cummings masterfully fused postmodern dance experimentation with rich Black cultural traditions, creating a powerful and resonant artistic voice.
One of Cummings’s most iconic creations, Chicken Soup (1981), vividly exemplifies her “moving pictures” philosophy. Inspired by the familial warmth of the kitchen, this choreography was honored as an American Masterpiece by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2006. Chicken Soup and other works by Cummings highlight her ability to transform ordinary actions into compelling visual stories through dance.
A new monograph, titled Blondell Cummings: Dance as Moving Pictures, delves into the depth of her artistic contributions. This comprehensive study draws from Cummings’s personal archives, presenting a rich collection of performance ephemera and digitized images from her performances and dance films. The book features insightful essays from prominent scholars like Sampada Aranke, Thomas F. DeFrantz, and Tara Aisha Willis, offering fresh perspectives on Cummings’s work. Personal reflections from Marjani Forté-Saunders, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Meredith Monk, Elizabeth Streb, Edisa Weeks, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar provide intimate glimpses into Cummings’s influence and legacy. Furthermore, the monograph includes a 1995 interview with Cummings by Veta Goler and transcripts from her appearances at esteemed venues such as Jacob’s Pillow and the Wexner Center for the Arts.
This book is meticulously compiled, bringing together reprinted materials, an extensive biography, a detailed chronology of her works, and previously unseen documentation. It serves as a crucial resource for contextualizing Cummings’s artistic practice at the intersection of dance, moving image, and art history. By exploring these various facets, the monograph underscores Cummings’s significant impact on the landscape of contemporary art and performance.
Accompanying the book is an eponymous exhibition, jointly organized by the Getty Research Institute and Art + Practice. The exhibition, held at Art + Practice in Los Angeles from September 18, 2021, to February 19, 2022, offered a physical space to further appreciate and engage with Cummings’s innovative “dance pictures” and her lasting influence on the art world.
The book is expertly curated by Kristin Juarez, a Research Specialist at the Getty Research Institute, whose doctoral research centers on gesture within film, dance, and contemporary art. Rebecca Peabody, Head of Research Projects and Academic Outreach at the Getty Research Institute, and Glenn Phillips, Senior Curator, Head of Exhibitions, and Head of Modern and Contemporary Collections at the Getty Research Institute, also lend their expertise to this important project. Their combined scholarship ensures a thorough and insightful examination of Blondell Cummings’s pioneering contributions to “dance pictures” and the broader art world. This monograph and exhibition serve as essential resources for anyone interested in understanding the innovative intersection of dance, visual art, and African American artistic traditions embodied by Blondell Cummings.
