Ringgold, Faith
1930-2024 · Contribution: 1960s-2024
Painting, mixed-media sculpture, performance, and especially narrative 'story quilts' combining painted canvas, fabric, and text to tell stories of Black and feminine life; also a celebrated children's-book author/illustrator
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Best known for story quilts such as 'Tar Beach' (1988); her 'American People' series (incl. 'Die,' 1967) confronted civil-rights-era America. A lifelong activist who fought the marginalization of Black artists; work is held by the Guggenheim, Met, and MoMA.
Life & background
African-American artist and author born Faith Willi Jones on Oct 8, 1930 in Harlem, NYC. BA and MA from City College of New York; taught in NYC public schools before making art full-time (1973). Wrote/illustrated the children's book 'Tar Beach' (1991). Died April 13, 2024 in Englewood, NJ, age 93.
Sources
- CNN; NPR; National Museum of Women in the Arts
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