As a reader, a lot of us prioritize what is the message that the author is trying to convey to us. It is a common thing to do as readers. As we continue to read a story, do we make connections to things we learned from our education or through our life experiences? The reason why I point this out is because that is one of the main reasons why we get interested in novels or articles. Poet Alice Walker can write a reflection on one’s story. What allows the reading, “In Search of Our Mothers’ Garden’ by Alice Walker, able to have great success is the fact that she acknowledges the history of African American Women and also acknowledges who one is as a person. Let me explain my statement. On page 5 Walker brings up how African American women are seen in society. As I read this section, the sentence that catches my attention the most has to be towards the end. In the reading, it states, “To be an artist and a black woman, even today, lowers our status in many respects, rather than raises it; and yet, artist we will be” (Walker Page 5). This quote is essential because it gives a summary of the struggles that black women face in society, however, this quote also shows strength and determination to stick to your identity. I enjoyed reading that part because I was able to make connections between that sentence with my personal life or a reading that I had read. Tragedy, self-love, and mental health play a big role in how we contribute to our days and play a factor in our future. The whole point of that quote is to give a reminder that we should not allow our struggles to take over, but rather conquer them.
As I continued reading, what caught my attention a lot was the history of her mother and the appreciation that she has for her. Walker brought up the lifestyle that her mother lived and it wasn’t pretty, to say the least. As she continued her quest to recognize the creativity that others do, she realized that her mother was an artist herself. Although she was not a painter, her mother was a garden designer and her work is a representation of creative expression. Other artists like Faith Ringgold and Bisa Butler share the same concept in showing their feelings. For example, the quilt, “Woman on a Bridge” by Faith Ringgold, is important because it represents an African American girl who is living in New York and can fly. The young girl has access to go to her rooftop and one night as she is lying down the stars lift her which is how she can fly. A quote from the quilt that stood out to me the most is when the girl says the following, “Only eight years old and in the third grade and I can fly. That means I am free to go wherever I want to for the rest of my life” (Ringgold). This example is significant because it represents power and liberty to the little girl. The quilt work setting is throughout the great depression. The representation that the artist is trying to convey is freedom. Street Story Quilt also shows the same theme but in a different story setting. The quilt work setting is in Harlem but in a building where it is divided between two characters who suffer through poverty and racism. As I was reading the iconic projects that Ringgold had produced, I remembered how her work shows how our country stands. Although the work had been produced a long time ago, the same message from the quilt work still stays the same. Throughout our history, an enduring issue that we always faced is inequality. As a society, we still fail to contribute to fixing this issue. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” is stated in the Declaration of Independence. Everyone in this country has those rights and those rights were produced in 1776. The messages from Walker and Ringgold connect to this because in the end that is what they’re trying to fight for which is liberty.
Bisa Butler is an artist who can represent the identity of African Americans. Her work can express the culture in positive ways. Throughout her time at Howard University, her professor had spoken to her about how her work should be positive and she still sticks with that I believe that is important because it gives a better connection and narrative towards the audience. The work that she produced most people had told her that they’re able to feel the spirit of the people who are being represented in the quilt. It is crazy how one can think that or feel that in my opinion. These 3 individuals produced great ways to show their forms of expression toward African Americans.
Questions:
How is “In Search of Our Mothers Gardens” able to have a connection to African American History? What is the message that Alice Walker trying to convey?
Based on the quilt “Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5: Tar Beach” by Faith Ringgold, what is the representation that Ringgold trying to set up in her artwork? Based on the information that was given, what conclusion did you come up with and why?
Work Cited:
“Bisa Butler: Portraits | Exhibition Stories.” The Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/videos/44/bisa-butler-portraits-exhibition-stories. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.
“Bisa Butler: Portraits.” The Art Institute of Chicago, www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9324/bisa-butler-portraits.
“Faith Ringgold | Street Story Quilt.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/485416.
Spector, Nancy. “Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5: Tar Beach.” Guggenheim, www.guggenheim.org/artwork/3719.
“Walker_In Search Of.pdf.” Google Docs, drive.google.com/file/d/1ZZDHvHq-56H2zAbL4b7qsRoXPXRnEnWW/view. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024.