Significant BIPOC Artists
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"The struggle was one thing when you talk about it, another thing when you picture it. I wanted people also to look at that work and see themselves."
Faith Ringgold is a painter, writer, sculptor, and performer. She is a Harlem native, born in 1930. She grew up as the Harlem Renaissance was ending- in the midst of the Great Depression. Her parents, general critics, and even schoolteachers discouraged her professional artistic goals. “I remember when I was young, and I would go into a gallery to show my work. The gallery dealer would look at my legs but not my art.” Ringgold's work is extremely diverse- some of her scenes have been deemed extremely graphic, while others have endless positive reviews and comments. In a multitude of interviews, she comments on how as a female artist, she is under a microscope while men in the art world and in the general world can create without scrutiny.
Ringgold's artwork and career extended into storytelling and activism. One of her most famous books is titled "Tar Beach" (1991). It discusses the issues and discrimination that black girls faced (and continue to battle) during the 1990s; whether it be sexism, racism, or colorism.
Leah Hornsby (Curator and creator of ARTFUBU)
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