Enduring Voices Catalogue (6-21-23) - Flipbook - Page 43
Faith
RINGGOLD
(b. 1930)
Painter, writer, teacher, mixed media sculptor, and performance
artist Faith Ringgold was born in Harlem, New York, in a workingclass family displaced by the Great Migration of African American
families escaping southern Jim Crow laws. Her childhood home
was surrounded by a lively and thriving arts scene. Ringgold
enrolled in the arts program at City College, New York, in 1950,
but had to change her major to art education as the college
limited the majors in which women were allowed to enroll.
Teaching in the New York City public school system, Ringgold
went on to complete a master’s degree at City College.
Ringgold’s travels influenced much of her work. A family trip to
Europe in 1959 is thought to have inspired her French Collection
series of quilt paintings, and trips to West Africa in the mid-70s
are seen as strong influence on her mask making, doll painting,
and sculptures. Her paintings were politically based, capturing
themes from the civil rights and women’s movements. In 1963,
Ringgold painted her first political collection, the American
People Series. Taught by her mother to make quilts in the African
American tradition, Ringgold’s focus throughout the 70s on
quilting intensified, with quilts featuring written narratives in
storytelling form. Also in the 70s, Ringgold began experimenting
with sculpture, ranging from costume masks to soft sculptures.
As her masks could also be used as costumes, it was a natural fit
for her to include performance art in her repertoire.
FAITH RINGGOLD
SPEAKING TO ALL AGES
In terms of collecting, we know that museums always
encourage you to get one of the curators to work with
you. We’ve never done that. We call in the curator
to make sure that a piece is in good condition or to
confirm that it is the real thing. We have always
enjoyed going to art museums to see things, but
we collect things we like. So it’s a very personal
collection. We prefer to talk about it as eclectic,
rather than unfocused. For example, Faith Ringgold
deserves a quilt in the exhibition, but her print Tar
Beach, which was the image for the book of the same
title, says a lot. It speaks to all ages.
–Susan S. and David R. Goode
Anyone can fly. All you need is somewhere
to go that you can’t get to any other way.
The next thing you know, you’re flying
among the stars.
—Faith Ringgold
Interesting Ringgold Fact:
Faith Ringgold is also a children’s book author, with her first book, Tar Beach (1991), garnering more than 20 awards,
including the prestigious Caldecott Medal.
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