Under a Blood Red Sky #6, from the series The Coming to Jones Road

Faith Ringgold came to prominence for her work celebrating the traditions of African American history and narrative during the second wave of feminism of the 1970s. Her Jones Road series follows the narrative of runaway slaves as they travel to the north. In this image, Ringgold presents a flat but brightly colored scene that recalls both the work of early modernism and the heavy color of African American quilts. Additionally, she surrounds this image with a narrative detailing the events of the escape. These words presented in a circle coupled with the anonymity of the figures suggest both the incredible number of people who underwent this journey to escape unjust hardship and a never-ending celebration of these heroes. Overall, Ringgold skillfully employs color and narrative to exalt African American tradition, craft, and history. (“Imprint/ In Print,” curated by Nancy E. Green with assistance from Christian Waibel ’17 and presented at the Johnson Museum August 8 – December 20, 2015)