Table Of ContentFAITH RINGGOLD
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sonal works such as Coming to Jones Road or the mot
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public statements in The Death of Apartheid and N
More War, Faith Ringgold expresses a bold visioi hoimdm mvi-zn
that celebrates a debt to the powerful and endurin;
legacy of African- American literature, music, poetr)
and painting. A courageous, experimental artist witl
a deep sense of public responsibility, she is th
embodiment of one ol the richest traditions i
American art.
Curlee Holton, a long-time collaborator of Faith
and her principal printmaker, has written abot
his fellow artist’s creative methods, studio worl
and many sources of inspiration. Curlee reveals a
artist endowed with an unquencl rgy th;
communicates itself to all who o contai
with her, be they children, studet s, or h<
many admirers and collectors, 1 'ate an
institutional. As a printmaker an r, Curb
pays particular attention to the f Faith
working relationship with himsel er prin
ers such as Bob Blackburn and illips, ;
well as to the remarkable collal betwee
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FAITH RINGGOLD
A view From, the s>tudlo
Curlee Raven Holton with Faith Ringgold
BUNKER HILL PUBLISHING
BOSTON
in association u>ith ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM
To Glee, my wife, and Ananda, my daughter
CRH
www.bunkerhillpublishing.com
First published in 2004 by Bunker Hill Publishing Inc.
26 Adams Street, Charlestown, MA 02129 USA
10 98765432 1
Copyright © Allentown Art Museum
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Control Number: 2004115985
ISBN 1 59373 045 4
Designed by Louise Millar
Printed in China
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of the publisher of this book.
FOREWORD
Faich Ringgold is a modern master. Her deceptively publish an original print, designed by Faith Ringgold
simple compositions have a graphic strength and a and pulled at EPI, Mama Can Sing You Put the Devil in
directness that are the unmistakable product of a Me. By underwriting the costs of this print, the
powerful artist. She has made unique contributions Museum has proudly added to Ringgold’s body of
to the history of art, most notably in creating her sig¬ work. At the same time, the print has been sold to
nature story quilts. These works synthesize painting, underwrite the costs of the project, made Ringgold’s
quiltin'g, and storytelling, bringing together the tra¬ work available to a broader audience, and helped to
ditions of Western art with African American craft promote the exhibition. The first print in the edition
and folklore. Ringgold is a truth teller, whose honesty was generously donated to the Museum by our
is evident in both her visual and verbal communica¬ patrons Arnold and Deanne Kaplan.
tions. Her paintings, sculpture, prints, and illustrated This is Allentown’s third book with Bunker Hill
books have universal appeal, and I have enjoyed read¬ Publishing, and we are pleased to work with them to
ing Tar Beach over and over at the request of my three- produce lively volumes of general interest that
year-old son Noble. expand knowledge of our collections and special exhi¬
Curlee Raven Holton has done an outstanding bitions. It is also my second project with Amy Pastan,
job of bringing this project to fruition. Under the book’s editor, with whom I published a book
Curlee’s leadership, an initially modest exhibition has about Charles Willson Peale when she was acquisi¬
grown into a larger one and is accompanied by this tions editor at the Smithsonian Institution Press. She
book and an original print. Holton is an excellent has done an excellent job of maintaining the person¬
painter and printmaker in his own right, but has al voice of the author.
devoted himself to making this a success for one of The Museum is grateful to all who have pur¬
his mentors, Faith Ringgold. The result is an intense¬ chased Mama Can Sing You Put the Devil in Me and to
ly personal view of the artist from the studio, both the County of Lehigh, Pennsylvania, for its support of
hers in New Jersey and his at the Experimental this project.
Printmaking Institute (EPI). In the end, this book is
the result of their years of collaboration. David R. Brigham
In addition to having the privilege to publish The Priscilla Payne Hurd Executive Director
this book, the Allentown Art Museum is delighted to Allentown Art Museum
3
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its -true, Its you. You. are a perfect anjeL in every way bui-cme. you. puf +j,e ])ev;i jn fAt
4 1 Mama Can Sing You Put the Devil in Me: Jazz Series July 28, 2004, serigmph, 22 x 30 in.
