Why’d They Put That In A Museum?
Show Notes
Artist: Faith Ringgold (New York, 1930 – New Jersey, 2024)
Item: Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5: Tar Beach, 1988.
Details: Acrylic paint, canvas, printed fabric, ink, and thread, 189.5 x 174 cm. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. © 2023 Faith Ringgold / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, Courtesy ACA Galleries, New York. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3719
TAR BEACH BY FAITH RINGGOLD (Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5)
In this episode of ‘Why’d They Put That in a Museum’, hosts Sarah Lees, a museum curator, and Beth Bacon, an author and museum enthusiast, delve into Faith Ringgold’s story quilt ‘Woman on a Bridge Number One of Five: Tar Beach’. They discuss the multi-layered artwork housed in the Guggenheim Museum, the significance of its mixed media composition, and its reflection of Ringgold’s personal and political statements. The episode also highlights Ringgold’s use of quilts to blend artistry with storytelling, her influence on addressing racial and gender inequalities, and her relentless advocacy that ensured her work gained recognition in prominent museums. They also discuss includes Ringgold’s painting American People Series #20: Die (1967) which is located in MOMA near the Picaasso painting Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. The podcast is set against the backdrop of Ringgold’s recent passing, serving as a tribute to her enduring legacy.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:31 Introducing Faith Ringgold’s ‘Tar Beach’
01:11 Exploring the Story Quilt
03:02 The Visual and Emotional Impact of ‘Tar Beach’
08:09 Faith Ringgold’s Political Art
10:43 Ringgold’s Journey to Museum Recognition
17:08 The Legacy and Influence of Faith Ringgold
21:47 Conclusion and Call to Action
Faith Ringgold’s painting, DIE (created in 1967), is located in the Museum of Modern Art adjacent to Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. “It essentially painted a picture of how much conflict there was in the US at this time. … It took some time for works like this by Ringgold to enter museums. … [MOMA] only acquired that in 2016.”
Contact Us
Say helloAbout the Podcasters
Sarah Lees
Sarah is a museum curator and researcher who has worked in organizations both large and small, and who remembers her first assignment for an art history class – to look into Rembrandt’s eyes and describe what she saw there. She believes everyone can find those kinds of connections to some form of creative expression, whether it’s a painting, a grandmother’s quilt, or a perfectly formed pen-stroke in a manuscript.
Beth Bacon
In addition to being an avid museum-goer, Beth Bacon is an author for young readers. Her books empower today’s kids to learn about themselves and the world through reading. She is also a teacher and branding consultant and a volunteer at the Missouri History Museum. Beth holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, an MA in Communication Arts from NYU, and a BA in Literature from Harvard University.
Music Credit
The music you hear in the intro and outro was composed by Edward Whelan. We appreciate his contribution to our podcast.
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