Visual Narratives: The Influence of Faith Ringgold

Let us pay homage to the recently passed Faith Ringgold, a remarkable and distinctly American, Black and female artist. Ringgold died on April 12, 2024 at her home in New Jersey, at the august age of 93, and she accomplished a great deal and touched many lives with her art, rendered in various disciplines from paintings, quilts, books, sculptures and more. Much of her work had an accessible, relatable draw while other pieces were challenging. Altogether it was a rich, powerful collection that spanned decades.

Ringgold grappled with and celebrated life in the US, its woes and joys. She explored race, gender, class, and individual lives in her art. A native New Yorker, she was a graduate of the CUNY college system and taught in the NYC public schools. In her later years she also engaged in activism, helping to promote opportunities for Black and women artists, expressing her ideas about civil rights, history and interpersonal relationships.

We at ROUTES have long admired her output and covered her shows, such as her retrospective at the New Museum in 2022. Her quilts in particular brought her great acclaim, and she produced more than 25 books, including many for children.

Her art will be appreciated for years to come, and her influence, which touches upon folk art stylings as well as high art, will be felt by many. (born Faith Willi Jones; October 8, 1930 – April 12, 2024)