Spencer Museum of Art Highlights
Faith Ringgold’s work has been a powerful force in American culture for the over fifty years. She pioneered the artform of story quilts for the modern era alongside other Black women. Centered on a Black male tragic hero, “Flag Story Quilt” alternates hand-written text in the white stripes with tie-dye fabric made by Marquetta Johnson to narrate the wrenching tale of a quadriplegic Vietnam War veteran wrongly accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. The work plays on the political and textile characteristics of the American flag and the tensions between the traditional quilt medium and contemporary violence and racism.
Paying Homage: Celebrating the Diversity of Men in Quilts
The work of Faith Ringgold has been a powerful force in American culture for the past 50 years. Her influence is especially strong in the realm of story quilts, which she pioneered for the modern era along with other women artists. The Spencer Museum is fortunate to have Ringgold’s Flag Story Quilt in its permanent collection—one of the most requested and sought-after works in the region. Centered on a tragic Black male hero, Flag Story Quilt tells a heart-wrenching tale of racism, using the symbolic form of the U.S. flag to interrogate patriotic narratives and insert text in the blank, “white” fields.
The tie-dye fabric is made by Marquetta Johnson, who will be reunited with this quilt for the first time since it was made when Johnson visits Lawrence in July. Ringgold will also be in Lawrence in July as the keynote speaker for the National African American Quilt Convention. They are special guests of the National African American Quilt Convention (July 11–14, 2018).
Narratives of the Soul
In 1972 Ringgold abandoned canvas as a medium and turned to cloth, drawing on her own heritage in quiltmaking. She traced her working in quilts to her great-great-grandmother, Betsy Bingham, and her great-grandmother, Susie Shannon, both slaves whose duties included making quilts for plantation owners. In this powerful work from 1985, Ringgold uses the form of the U.S. flag and alternates tie-dyed fabric with written text. The handwriting narrates the wrenching story of a quadriplegic Vietnam War veteran wrongly accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. The work plays on the political and textile characteristics of the flag and the tensions between the traditional quilt medium and contemporary violence and racism.
In 1972 Ringgold abandoned canvas as a medium and turned to cloth, drawing on her own heritage in quiltmaking. She traced her working in quilts to her great-great-grandmother, Betsy Bingham, and her great-grandmother, Susie Shannon, both slaves whose duties included making quilts for plantation owners. In this powerful work from 1985, Ringgold uses the form of the U.S. flag and alternates tie-dyed fabric with written text. The handwriting narrates the wrenching story of a quadriplegic Vietnam War veteran wrongly accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. The work plays on the political and textile characteristics of the flag and the tensions between the traditional quilt medium and contemporary violence and racism.
The work of Faith Ringgold has been a powerful force in American culture for the past 50 years. Her influence is especially strong in the realm of story quilts, which she pioneered for the modern era along with other women artists. The Spencer Museum is fortunate to have Ringgold’s Flag Story Quilt in its permanent collection—one of the most requested and sought-after works in the region. Centered on a tragic Black male hero, Flag Story Quilt tells a heart-wrenching tale of racism, using the symbolic form of the U.S. flag to interrogate patriotic narratives and insert text in the blank, “white” fields.
The tie-dye fabric is made by Marquetta Johnson, who will be reunited with this quilt for the first time since it was made when Johnson visits Lawrence in July. Ringgold will also be in Lawrence in July as the keynote speaker for the National African American Quilt Convention. They are special guests of the National African American Quilt Convention (July 11–14, 2018).
Exhibition Label:
"Big Stuff: Contemporary Art from the Collection," Jun-1998
In 1972 Ringgold abandoned canvas as a medium and turned to cloth, drawing on her own heritage in quilt making. She traced her working in quilts to her own great great grandmother, Betsy Bingham, and her great grandmother, Susie Shannon, both slaves whose duties included making quilts for plantation owners. Ringgold invents narratives based on the community of Harlem, where she grew up. In this case the story is of a quadriplegic Vietnam veteran wrongly accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. The work plays on the political and textile characteristics of the flag and the tensions between the traditional quilt medium and contemporary African-American issues.
