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Post an artwork by Faith Ringgold from a museum website or online article. In your own words, describe how it relates to the ideas and content from this week's videos and readings.

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Faith Ringgold, The Flag is Bleeding #2 (American Collection #6), 1997, Acrylic on canvas, painted and pieced border. © 2018 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Private collection, courtesy Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London

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This work, titled The Flag is Bleeding is similar to Die in the way that is visually illustrates the violence faced and endured by black people within The United States. Whether it be injustice within the justice system, police brutality, discrimination or microaggression, I believe that this piece underlines that this country has been and is tainted with the blood and bodies of the black community.

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Faith Ringgold, American People #9: The American Dream, 1964, Oil on canvas. © 2018 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Private collection, courtesy Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London. 

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Faith Ringgold's American People series is made up of a total of 20 oil paintings that were created between 1963 and 1967 . The series looks closely at a broad range of individuals and groups, each one uniquely depicting themes of racial tensions, power dynamics, and racial identity. As I was listening to you teach us about “The American People Series #16: Woman Looking Into A Mirror, 1966”, I was eager to explore more pieces within that series. “The American Dream” created in 1964, depicts a female figure painted half-black and half-white. There's a large red arrow pointing directly to a hefty diamond ring on her finger leading us to assume she is a wealthy and glamorous woman. This painting helps us understand Ringgold’s experience as an African American woman during this time and how she viewed racial integration & harmony and the role of wealth in establishing social class and segregation. Like "Woman Looking Into A Mirror", "The American Dream" is painted in heavy outlines, enclosing bold areas of color, and can resemble the early non-traditional style of Pablo Picasso, an artist whom she admired.

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Wow! Thank you for posting this painting, I was also drawn to this work. The abstraction of the overall piece made the arrow not quite obvious at first glance. I agree with you, I think this piece and the overall series reveal her experience of racial tension, class, and gender (and shows her admiration for Picasso) :)

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This piece, "Die", #20 from the American People Series of hers illustrates the racial tensions in the unjust era of the Civil Rights Movement. It relates back to what we've learned this week about Faith Ringgold's life because she herself has always been an advocate for social justice and civil rights through her writing and art. Her efforts are mirrored here in this piece, showing how ridiculously brutal and chaotic and truly bloody the lives of Americans had been during this time period, unjust and unwarranted deaths everywhere. In one of the articles this week she has recalled from growing up in Harlem, "In the 1960s in Harlem, there was a riot every five minutes in the street." Her fear and anger and confusion on these dark times is emulated in this piece, as us the viewer as well is disturbed and perplexed right along with her, as to why and how the violence shown was started.

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Faith Ringgold. American People Series #20: Die. 1967 | MoMA

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Faith Ringgold. American People Series #20: Die. 1967. Oil on canvas, two panels. 72 × 144″ (182.9 × 365.8 cm). Acquired through the generosity of The Modern Women’s Fund, Ronnie F. Heyman, Eva and Glenn Dubin, Lonti Ebers, Michael S. Ovitz, Daniel and Brett Sundheim, and Gary and Karen Winnick. 212.2016.a-b. Painting and Sculpture

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Faith Ringgold, Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5: Tar Beach, 1988. Acrylic paint, canvas, printed fabric, ink, and thread, 74 5/8 x 68 1/2 inches (189.5 x 174 cm), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Gift, Mr. and Mrs. Gus and Judith Leiber, 1988. © 2023 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York

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Learning about Faith Ringgold's work and life story this week sparked my interest in her quilt making and her way of infusing politics and activism into her art. She has a very particular way of prioritizing narrative over just artistic craft in a way that makes her work more captivating and influential. In some of her earlier works, her way of condemning various injustices in America was louder, angrier, and more direct in her art. Whether it was the bold use of typography, brilliant colors, big forms, and abstracted faces, her work aimed to show a powerful message. However, Woman on a Bridge becomes more of a celebration of Ringgold's experience as a Black woman, honoring ideas like family, youth, sisterhood, dreaming, overcoming, visibility, freedom, and feminine liberation. The quilt illustrates the narratives that are verbally written along the top and bottom counters of the piece. It tells the story of Cassie, a young Black girl enamored with the joy and freedom of flying, flying above the George Washington Bridge, a symbol of masculinity and size. In this way, Ringgold chooses to present her identities as both things worth fighting for and things worth celebrating.

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Woman on a Bridge is a whimsical scene of a young girl named Cassie, soaring over the George Washington Bridge. Faith notes that art created by black artists is viewed as "violent" and an "anti-white rhetoric has long been perceived as characteristic". While some of Faith's art depicts violence, Woman on a Bridge was created more to celebrate Faith's experience as a black woman in the United States. The scene shows what seems to be a family enjoying a leisurely dinner with a view so many would kill for, while a little girl follows her dreams of flying, overtaking the massive bridge.

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Response to Stacie Ballin - Daniella Guigliano

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Response to Stacie Ballin - Daniella Guigliano

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I really liked your take on this piece. I also think it is interesting how the adult female figure is seemingly fading into the flag, almost as if to suggest the history of suffering is blending in or being forgotten.

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Faith Ringgold’s painting, "United States of Attica," powerfully references the social and political issues of its time by highlighting the widespread injustices and systemic racism in America. Created in response to the 1971 Attica Prison uprising, the artwork critiques the brutal treatment of prisoners and the broader civil rights abuses that were rampant during the era. By depicting a fragmented map of the United States, Ringgold symbolically represents the fractured state of the nation and its failure to uphold justice and equality. The painting serves as a poignant commentary on the urgent need for reform and the ongoing struggle for civil rights, capturing the zeitgeist of a turbulent period in American history. This demonstrating her constant work as an activist and her support of the civil rights movement, spreading awareness through her art.

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faith Ringgold United States of Attica painting

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Faith Ringgold, Black Light Series #2, 1967, Oil on canvas

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I selected "Black Light Series #2: Man" (1967), the second portrait from Faith Ringgold’s Black Light series. This series is inspired by Ad Reinhard’s “Abstract Painting No. 4” (1961). This portrait features a face that resembles an abstracted, African mask-like face. Like the first portrait in this series, Ringgold flattens the imagery without using white paint. Faith samples ideas from minimalism, reappropriating them through colour and composition to create something entirely of her own.

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Faith Ringgold (b. 1930, New York, NY), Early Works #25: Self-Portrait, 1965. Oil on canvas; 50 × 40 in. (127 × 101.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Elizabeth A. Sackler, 2013.96. © 2023 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York.

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During this week’s exploration of Faith Ringgold’s work, I was captivated by her unique use of color in advancing her message. This work from 1965, titled Self-Portrait, emphasizes techniques that Ringgold engaged as discussed in our readings. The viewer is able to clearly see the specific visual language that she carries through her body of work, especially with the vibrating edges created by the overlapping vibrant reds and deeper blues. Despite being a flat and graphic image rather than highly rendered, Ringgold’s treatment of the colors in the face create a compelling depth. The YouTube video, “Faith Ringgold: American Story,” discussed that Ringgold was deliberate in her color choices so that she could highlight the variation and tonality of black skin. Her ability to capture and emphasize features in this way was a stark contrast to other works at the time and conventional color theory practice, which resulted in black faces receding into the background with lighter colors coming forward. I find it beautiful the variety of ways- both more literally such as in her work Die, as well as more subversively through this work, Ringgold is able to comment on politics and social climate and advocate for black feminine empowerment.

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Faith Ringgold, American People Series #17: The Artist and His Model, 1966. Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in. (From artist website) https://www.faithringgold.com/portfolio/american-people-series-17-the-artist-and-his-model/ 

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Faith Ringgold's American People Series #17 titled, "The Artist and His Model," explores the idea of society's Eurocentric beauty standards and the black artist. During the time of the artwork, it was not seen as socially acceptable nor common for artists to create pieces with both black and white people. Ringgold has already commented on this issue, but she also brought to light the issue of Eurocentric beauty standards. The piece depicts a white blue-eyed blonde woman in the background, a typical beauty, with a black artist in the foreground. I really liked this piece as it was able to comment on a few issues in society at the time and relate to how Ringgold pushes the boundaries with her work and uses her voice to speak through it.

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Thank you Nyla for sharing this piece and your insightful analysis of Ringgold's critique of Eurocentric beauty standards. Ringgold's work here delves into the important theme of racial inclusion in art, prompting us to confront and challenge their perceptions of beauty. This powerful duality within the piece resonates with me, particularly as someone who has experienced the pressure of these beauty ideals while growing up. -- N.Olidan

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Faith Ringgold The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles, 1991, Acrylic on canvas with pieced fabric border,  74 x 80 inches

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Faith Ringgold's "The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles" is a vivid quilt depicting eight notable Black women, including Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, gathering in a sunflower field in Arles, France, with Vincent van Gogh in the backdrop. This lesser-known piece by Ringgold combines historical people with a well-known art venue, honoring Black women's achievements to social justice and equality. The quilt ties to this week's themes of visibility and empowerment by utilizing a traditionally feminine craft—quilting—to highlight these often-overlooked historical people. Ringgold's article also considers the interplay of race and gender, showcasing Black women's collective strength and perseverance in the battle for freedom and justice.

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The Bitter Nest, Part II: The Harlem Renaissance Party by Faith Ringgold- N.Olidan

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The Bitter Nest, Part II: The Harlem Renaissance Party by Faith Ringgold- N.Olidan

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For this week's padlet, I chose Faith Ringgold's "The Bitter Nest, Part II: The Harlem Renaissance Party," a vibrant quilt that captures the essence of the Harlem Renaissance. As we learned this week, Faith Ringgold uses quilts to tell culturally rich and historically significant stories, transforming a medium once associated with oppression into one of empowerment and storytelling. The quilt's central scene depicts a dinner party with prominent figures from the Harlem Renaissance, addressing the absence of Black figures in mainstream art history and exemplifying how Faith Ringgold uses quilts to convey powerful and culturally resonant stories.

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During this week's content about Faith Ringgold's, it is informational to learn about other's perspective during pivot times in the past. This scene illustrated by Faith shoes a group of slaves travelling on the underground railroad up north to find potential freedom. The print is one of many versions of the scene, which artist Faith Ringgold has sometimes titled Coming to Jones Road under a Blood Red Sky. The last time the public education system taught me about the slavery era was when I was an early teenager and introducing dicussions again is important to talk about. In this manner, Faith Ringgold's messages through her work are educational and can be seen by dissecting meanings behind them in this course.

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Faith Ringgold Groovin' High (1996) is a piece of work that really spoke to me when diving deeper into Ringgold’s work. The title "Groovin' High” itself I believe makes a reference to the musical influences in black culture and the artistic portrayal in whole, represents community. As an African American myself, my first initial portrayal of this work felt like a representation of black culture. Representing all of the shades and a loving joyful emotion through the smiling faces and dancing movements and what appears to be a little girl hugging her dad. The greater, more powerful meaning to me, being that even in times of injust, the black community  stands strong and prospers through the pain that is endured.

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Response to Mimi Tacheva: Woman on a bridge 

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Response to Mimi Tacheva: Woman on a bridge 

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Mimi, learning more about Faith Ringgold this week has really fascinated me as well. This piece in particular you chose to speak on really stands out to me, i like that even in the midst of her challenging racial and societal beliefs and norms, that she still celebrates the positive aspects of the black community and this piece is a perfect representation of that, very powerful! -By Nevaeh Hearn

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American People Series #4: The Civil Rights Triangle, 1963, Oil on canvas

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Faith Ringgold's oil painting "American People Series #4: The Civil Rights Triangle, 1963" is a powerful depiction that explores the dynamics of race relations during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The artwork portrays a triangular composition with figures of various races and ethnicities intersecting and overlapping, symbolizing the complex interactions and tensions within American society at that time. Ringgold's use of vibrant colors and bold shapes emphasizes the urgency and intensity of the struggle for civil rights, highlighting the interconnectedness of individuals and communities in the fight against racial injustice. Through this piece, Ringgold not only captures the historical moment of the Civil Rights Movement but also prompts viewers to reflect on the ongoing quest for equality and social justice in contemporary times.

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Response to The Bitter Nest, Part II: The Harlem Renaissance Party

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Response to The Bitter Nest, Part II: The Harlem Renaissance Party

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As you mentioned, Ringgold does have a gift at capturing these powerful stories through her quilts. I especially like how the dinner party theme can symbolize how these important figures deserve "a seat at the table", as the saying goes. It is admirable how Ringgold brings recognition to them through her work. - Marcella Martin

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Faith Ringgold, Groovin High, 1996. Color screen print, Chazen Museum of Art. © 2021 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York

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Upon seeing Groovin High, my first impression was that it resembled Die in a certain way. Both works share a wide landscape composition with a checkered background, although there is a higher contrast seen in the checkers of Groovin High when compared to the muted checkers of Die. The one aspect that caught my eye, however, was the dynamic movement seen in both compositions with the bold, overlapping poses of the main figures sprawled through the composition. Despite these similarities, it is interesting to see the stark contrast that exists between the two works given the nature of their subjects. Die captures the violent nature experienced during the riots of 1967, whereas Groovin High is based on the fond memories that Ringgold had of the Harlem Renaissance.

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Week #2: Women Free Yourself - Judy Chen

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Week #2: Women Free Yourself - Judy Chen

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For this week's padlet, I selected one of the four posters made by Faith Ringgold in the early 1970's. This poster was made as a form of black feminist activism, intended for public meetings and protests. The poster "Woman Free Yourself" was inspired by the Kuba design with different words and in varying colors. This artwork relates back to one of Faith Ringgold's artworks shown in this week's lectures, "Ego Painting" in 1969. The "Ego Painting" was done as a show of how artists wanted to be acknowledged for their creativity, so people started to sign their name on the front of the canvas and Ringgold took it a step further by incorporating it in the painting. With the same inspiration "Woman Free Yourself" was a form of black feminist activism, with words of the title facing in all directions and the pronoun "Yourself" is separated to "Your" and "Self" aiding in emphasizing the importance of each word.

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Faith Ringgold. Woman Free Yourself. 1971 | MoMA

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Faith Ringgold. Woman Free Yourself. 1971. Offset lithograph. composition and sheet: 24 1/16 × 18 1/8″ (61.1 × 46.1 cm). The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Endowment for Prints. 239.2016. © 2024 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Drawings and Prints

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Faith Ringgold, Jazz Stories: Mama Can Sing, Papa Can Blow #1: Somebody Stole My Broken Heart, 2004 Acrylic on canvas with pieced fabric border. © 2018 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York

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This week I selected "Mama can sing Papa can blow". The piece depicts a lively scene of a family engaged in music and celebration, featuring colorful, expressive figures and detailed, narrative-rich fabric panels. The artwork reflects the themes of African American life and culture, emphasizing joy, resilience, and community. This piece aligns with the ideas from this week's videos and readings by showcasing how Ringgold uses the story quilt format to blend visual art with storytelling. The quilt captures a sense of cultural pride and familial strength, exploring themes of identity and social justice through the lens of everyday experiences. Just as the readings discussed the importance of elevating personal and communal narratives to challenge dominant stereotypes, this artwork exemplifies Ringgold's approach of transforming traditional domestic crafts into powerful statements on race, identity, and social issues.

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The Faith Ringgold work I have chosen is The Flag is Bleeding, 1967. This piece stuck out to me as it offers a very striking visual critique of American society and the struggle for equality. The strong, little abstracted, use of the American Flag covered in blood calls out the hypocritical patriotism that occurs often in the U.S. where the founding idea is life, liberty, equality, and freedom, when that is not what is offered to all people, especially for the black community. Like works such as Die, this piece calls out racial injustice and violence as well as speaking to activism and social change, which are common themes in Ringgold's work. Overall, I think this works a great example of Ringgold's ability to use powerful imagery and poignant symbolism as social critique and it challenges viewers to face uncomfortable truths about the America and the falsehood of its founding principles in society.