Marcel Jones + Faith Ringgold

 

Jazz Stories: Mama Can Sing, Papa Can Blow #1
Somebody Stole My Broken Heart, 2004

  Faith Ringgold is an African American multimedia artist and an activist. She was born in 1930, during the Great Depression, and is most known for displaying the lives of African Americans through story quilts. During the 1960's and 70's a majority of her work was political and she was part of a committee that protested an art exhibition to demand that 50 percent of the exhibitors should be women. Ringgold has also written numerous books, some stand alone, and others go along with her story quilts. She currently works in Englewood, New Jersey and is the recipient of 22 Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degrees.

Phases of Me

    My name is Marcel and I am a junior here at NJCU pursuing a bachelors in biology. I am particularly fascinated with wildlife and hope to become a zoologist one day. In addition, I have always loved art. I have been creating artwork since middle school. I see it as an escape from the average day to day activities in my life. Drawing and painting are definitely my favorite hobbies. I also own an online business, A.J.X. The Brand, where I use some designs on the clothing I sell. Art follows me everywhere I go. 

    Faith Ringgold is an exceptional multimedia artist and I find her work as an activist truly admirable. In her "Makers" interview , she discusses her activism. She was very concerned with the lack of female and African American presence in the world around her. Ringgold also founded a new art style which is painting story quilts. I feel connected with her because she is an innovative, and outspoken role model for me. I remember being nervous about attending a predominately white school, because I knew there would be little to no individuals who looked like me. However, that didn't deter me from being myself and I graduated in the top 20% of my class. During my time in high school, I remember drafting up a letter with my friend, and it was addressed to the principal of the high school and also the superintendent of the school district. The letter was about increasing the acknowledgement and teachings of imperative black individuals in history during Black History Month in our school. The letter was seen by the vice principal who out into place new measures to follow through with the proposed measures in the letter. To me, that was my first moment of activism and from then on, I try to incorporate different social issues in some of my pieces that I create in my spare time or for assignments. The image above is my first digital art work that I created via Canva. It is mainly showing the different sides of who I am as a young black woman. I notice that we are always coined as being "strong", and while I may fit that box, there's so much more to me and others like me that is yet to be acknowledged. I like to get dressed up, get dressed down, and dance. Sometimes, I feel ecstatic and in love with life, and other times I feel upset and angry at the way things turn out. These are my phases.