At the New Museum in NYC, currently lies the works of Faith Ringgold. Faith Ringgold is a well-rounded creative who was born in Harlem in the 1930s. A lot of her work is inspired by African art. What you see in the New Museum is a variety of these vibrant and colorful quilts. The idea for these quilts began in collaboration with her mother Madame Willi Posey. Her paintings are bordered with fabric that’s been quilted and this is one of the many mediums Ringgold uses while expressing herself through different art forms. 

This particular quilt Sonny’s Bridge was created through the exposure of art she witnessed as a child. The jazz musician depicted is Sonny Rollins blowing into his saxophone. The coloring in the art seems to mimic the vibrancy and liveliness of jazz music and it’s quite striking with its tie dye and geometric stripes surrounding the piece.

Ringgold must invoke a great sense of pride in many people for her amazing contributions to the world with her art. It’s admirable to see an African American woman express herself freely and tell meaningful stories through such a creative medium. While the vibrancy in the colors is captivating in her work, it does not take away from the messages she’s trying to convey. Not only is she uplifting the heart and soul of African American’s but she is displaying her culture in a way that calls attention to what it really means to convey racial expression and racial identity. It truly is noteworthy seeing works created by African American women with the help of other African American women. It not only makes the stories more meaningful but it gives a voice to those who aren’t recognized enough for their efforts to improve society and allows a woman to depict herself and her culture in her own way.