American Collection #4: Jo Baker’s Bananas 1997

Faith Ringgold created "American Collection #4: Jo Baker’s Bananas" using a combination of painting, quilting and fabric. The composition is split horizontally, dancers above and spectators below, with a patterned backdrop. It is dynamic and complex. The dancers at the top appear in motion against a backdrop of vibrant colours and shapes. Below, spectators are rigidly placed, their interactions suggesting a different narrative space. The use of quilting introduces texture and disrupts any conventional sense of pictorial depth, flattening the image and drawing attention to the surface. Ringgold uses the formal elements of pattern and figuration to engage with themes of performance, identity and cultural exchange. The quilted borders act as framing devices, emphasizing the work’s status as both art object and cultural artifact. This destabilization of traditional categories invites ongoing interpretation. Consider how Ringgold’s strategic use of materials and composition challenges fixed notions and promotes a re-evaluation of cultural and artistic boundaries.