Visual Culture Database Form ARTE 344/544 Spring 2024

Provider: Heather Thornton

VCDB #: 1

Big
Idea/Subject:
Human Diversity,
Power,
Conflict, Civil
Rights
Major Theme:
Social and
Political Change,
Civil Rights
Movement,
Racial Equality
Medium/ Size:
Oil on Canvas /
72 x 96 in.
Visual
Components:
Color, Contrast,
Emphasis,
Repetition,
Pattern,
Category:
Fine Arts
Pop art
Pop culture
Non-art
Authorship: Faith Ringgold
Title of work: The American People Series #19: US Postage Commemorating the Advent of Black
Power, 1967
Location of Installation view, Faith Ringgold: American People, MCA Chicago. November
work: 18, 2023 – February 25, 2024.
Description: This is a large oil painting that uses repetitive colors, faces, and letters
to send a message to the viewer in retrospect regarding social and
political issues that were happening at the time. Faith Ringgold was
inspired by the post-cubist and emerging pop art movements when she
created this work. The post cubist faces are painted in a repetitive
pattern that is largely a postage stamp, which is also significant in pop
art style. “In 1963, Ringgold began work on a series of 20
paintings entitled American People. Rendered in a style that
synthesizes post-cubist Picasso, pop art, and traditional African
sculpture, these paintings present subjects who are black and
 white, male and female, and rich and poor. Grouped closely
together, the figures reflect the tension arising from interracial
contact that Ringgold observed and felt directly.” NMWA. (2020,
June 10).
These paintings were created during a time of significant social and
political change in the United States, particularly regarding the civil
rights movement and the struggle for racial equality.
Interpretation: This oil painting represents the black power that emerged during the
1960s. The use of repetitive colors, bold letters, and hidden messages
painted onto a large postage stamp shows the significance of the
conflicts that surrounded our society at that time. Even today, this
piece holds significant value because of the social and political issues
that are painted into this piece. At the time, the civil rights era was
growing in America with changes in Jim Crow laws. Segregation
became illegal by law at this time. This piece is an interesting contrast
to the confederate flag, which is a source of many racist, social, and
political issues even today.
Use in Teaching Due to the civil rights issues represented in the painting and the
(Lesson Idea hidden letters that let viewers see the contrast of the social and
and medium) political issues from up close and far away, I would like to engage
students in a 3D project in which they create a sculpture that shows
both sides of a social issue in their school or community that matters
to them. Students can carve letters into their sculptures and create a
pop art-like piece of art that is a common day household item with
subliminal messages that pertain to social issues. This project would
be a way for students to engage in 3D art-making that allows them to
express their ideas by using their artwork as their voice for social
changes in their community. By having students think critically about
social issues in their communities that affect them, they will learn to
use their voices for the greater good in the future.
3-5 Guiding 1 What message was the artist trying to send by creating this piece?
Questions: 2 How does the idea of creating social change affect you now? And how
did it affect others in the past? How do you feel about that?
3 Why do you think the artist used emphasis in the piece?
4 What social issues would you like to see change today?
5 How would you try to affect social change today?
Image Source https://www.faithringgold.com/portfolio/the-american-people-series-
(url): 19-us-postage-commemorating-the-advent-of-black-power/

References:

American people, Black Light: Faith Ringgold’s paintings of the 1960s: Exhibition. NMWA.
(2020, June 10). https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/american-people-black-light