American People #19: US Postage Stamp Commemorating the Advent of Black Power 1967

Faith Ringgold made this piece in the style of a postage stamp, with acrylic on canvas, and it is part of the “American People” series. The regular grid of faces in Ringgold’s picture seems to speak to the idea of a community, or perhaps the population of a nation, but with the addition of words and symbols painted over the composition. The smooth surface is punctuated by moments where Ringgold allows the texture of the canvas to become visible, and it’s really cool to see her working process like that. You get the feeling that the artist approached the work with a sense of freedom. The red painted words on the surface of the painting are a bold addition. They remind me of protest signs. Ringgold is an incredible artist, and, like the work of Emma Amos, her pieces use a really unique visual language to explore issues of race and identity.