Faith Ringgold, an acclaimed author and artist celebrated for her groundbreaking work in quilting and visual arts, has passed away at the age of 93.
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The artist’s assistant, Grace Matthews, confirmed to The Associated Press that Ringgold died Friday, April 12 2024, night at her home in Englewood, New Jersey. Matthews noted that Ringgold had been in declining health.
Ringgold’s innovative creations, characterized by their vibrant colors, intricate details, and compelling narratives, are featured in prestigious private and public collections worldwide.
From the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Art to New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Atlanta’s High Museum of Fine Art, her art leaves an indelible mark.
Yet, Ringgold’s journey to recognition was fraught, challenging the art world’s dominant narrative of white male artists and advocating for Black women’s representation in the arts.
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A founding member of the Where We At artists collective for Black women in 1971, Ringgold was also an outspoken social activist, advocating for the inclusion of Black and female artists in American museums.
In addition to her private works, Ringgold’s public art projects are celebrated. Notably, “People Portraits,” a series of 52 glass mosaics depicting notable figures, adorns the Los Angeles Civic Center subway station.
Similarly, her mosaic murals, “Flying Home: Harlem Heroes and Heroines,” pay tribute to iconic figures of Harlem in a subway station.
Ringgold’s impact extended to children’s literature, where she introduced young readers to influential figures like Langston Hughes and Rosa Parks through her books.
Born in Harlem in 1930, Ringgold hailed from a family of artists. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art from City College of New York and served as a professor of art at the University of California in San Diego from 1987 to 2002.
Her legacy lives on through her motto, emblazoned on her website: “If one can, anyone can, all you gotta do is try.”
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