Black History Month: Faith Ringgold
Today’s inspiring artist for Black History Month is hard to pin down, because she’s made significant work in so many media. Let’s talk about:
I think Faith Ringgold was the first Black artist I had ever heard my parents mention when I was a child, but that was it — only a mention. Later I thought she was “just“ a children’s book author who also made quilts. Wow, what an understatement. At various times in her life, Ringgold has been a painter, writer, mixed media sculptor, performance artist, and a public artist, as well as a narrative quilter.
Faith Ringgold, “Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles.” Photo credit: faithringgold.com
Oh yeah, and an anti-racist, feminist activist too. I could go on, but here are a few reasons I like her and her work:
The more-is-more aesthetic of her quilts, which are packed with text and paint on printed fabric
The variety of media in which she’s expressed herself
Her lack of interest in subtle messages — it’s all out there, especially if you look closely
Ringgold’s art is well-represented in prestigious museums like the Met, the Guggenheim, the Studio Museum of Harlem, and many more. If you’re in New York, you can also see her mosaics in the subway, at 125th Street. I’m not sure how active the artist is at this point — she turns 93 this year — but She has Lived a LIFE. Faith Ringgold doesn’t owe anyone anything.
More inspiring artists to come. See you tomorrow…
Black History Month: Kara Walker
If this artist were a product at the supermarket, she would come with a warning label. Seriously, though, if you are triggered by depictions of sexual violence or negative stereotypes, maybe you should skip this post.
Let’s talk about:
Kara Walker is best known for her silhouette installations about anti-Black racism, colonialism, and sexual violence. She also paints and sculpts. In each medium, though, Walker has used stereotypical images of Black people to attack these issues.
Kara Walker, “A Subtlety, or The Marvelous Sugar Baby.” Photo credit: Adjoajo/Wikimedia Commons
Not surprisingly, she’s pissed off a lot of people, including the legendary sculptor Betye Saar, who essentially said Walker’s work demeans the struggles of Black women merely to entertain white people.
I’m not entirely comfortable with Walker’s work, either. Still, I’m drawn to it because of:
The sheer audacity she’s shown throughout her career
The patience and skill necessary to cut the silhouettes, even with support from assistants
The satirical, grandiose titles of her works, which remind me of 19th century carnival barker exaggerations
Walker is a Problematic Fave. I think she intellectualizes the negative stereotypes as fictions with no basis in reality, but I doubt all her collectors do. If I had to choose between, say, having lunch with Walker or lunch with Betye Saar, I’m not sure who I’d pick.
Still with me? Stick around for tomorrow’s inspiring artist.
Black History Month: Titus Kaphar
If I’ve come away with any insight writing this Black History Month series, it’s this: the more you look, the more you will find greatness. Let’s talk about:
In every Titus Kaphar painting I’ve seen, he asks a singular question: “Who’s missing from this story?” My first exposure to his work was seeing “Behind the Myth of Benevolence.” If the work asks who is missing from Thomas Jefferson’s story, the easy answer is Sally Hemings. A more nuanced answer might acknowledge the (gaping) holes in American history where Black people would be. Other works by Kaphar also resonate with me for these reasons:
The dignity with which he portrays Black people
His combinations of oil painting with other media, including tar
His willingness to cut and otherwise “damage” the canvases he paints.
It should come as no surprise that Kaphar is a MacArthur “genius grant” winner. He’s co-created an art incubator program to mentor and support Black and Brown artists. He’s also ventured into film, directing the documentary “Shut Up and Paint.” Art news outlets say he’s directed an upcoming feature film, “Exhibiting Forgiveness.” Guess where you’ll find me when it comes to Seattle or a streaming service.
Join me for a look at another groundbreaking artist tomorrow…