Faith Ringgold Quilt " We Came to America" (1997)
Faith Ringgold's quilt catches your eye the moment you see it. The vibrant blue of the sky and sea fills the space with a cheerful yellow sun rising or perhaps setting in the distance. At a quick glance, it is a hopeful scene of what I presume to be escape slaves swimming from a burning ship in the distance. Then, you notice the contrast of the red in the water; the blood fills the scene. This is a scene of desperation and innocence of hoping for a better life while treading through turbulent waters. The figures' features are distorted and anguished. The figures are displaced, and bodies are in a state of movement. It almost looks like they are being boiled alive in the waves. Is the Statute of Liberty a beacon of hope or a false promise of safety? The white clothing of the Statue of Liberty is a sharp contrast between the rest of the composition. This, along with the smoke from the torch, leads the eye to the burning ship. The...