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Kerry Marshall and Faith Ringgold: Contemporary Artists Essay

Decent Essays

Art is a skill used by humans which allows them to express ideas through writing, drawing, picture, sculpture, or other form. An artist can use art to prove a point to society, draw people’s attention to a situation or just as a means of entertainment in its design. Contemporary art is art produced at the present period in time or within our lifetime (Contemporary Art). Through contemporary art, artists are able to express social ideas or causes by giving us a glimpse into past events which have occurred because of decisions or actions and create a work which represent those events. Sometimes an artist uses as his or her inspiration a past event from their lives which has brought a strong emotion. Two contemporary artists who …show more content…

The purpose of the artwork is Ringgold showing the possibility of Cassie achieving her impossible dream of flying over the night sky. The story is narrated along the edge of the artwork in the border. Many art critics believe that the social and economic limitations that African-Americans have faced through American history are represented in the artwork in the story which is narrated on the edges of the painting (PGT_12). While others believe that Tar Beach tells people to reach for or try to accomplish their dreams. Tar Beach uses imagination as a means to help the viewer to see the little girl Cassie’s dream of flying. The artwork brings the viewers’ attention to the story. The girl resting on the rooftop and flying over the bridge conveys that she is dreaming. A primary reason for this art work is that during the period of 1960 to 1970 a feminist movement was started which challenged the thinking that great works of art were made by men. This thinking was later dispelled and women were credited for their significant contributions to western art. At this time, there was recognition for the pioneering medium of Quilting as a fine art form. Quilting is a traditional women art form that was considered craft rather than a fine art skill. (Faith Ringgold)
The Many Mansions is a work by Kerry Marshall who is an

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