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"Tar Beach 2" Quilt

1990
Faith Ringgold (American, 1930–2024) Produced at The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia (founded 1977)
Ringgold’s Tar Beach 2 quilt communicates the dreams and hopes of a young African American girl, Cassie Louise Lightfoot. Her story is based on the artist’s own memories of growing up in Harlem, New York, but is enlivened with fantasy. Flying among the stars on a hot summer night, Cassie becomes a heroic explorer overcoming obstacles. Ringgold’s combination of image and imagination, text and texture puts a unique, contemporary spin on the traditions of both quilting and storytelling.

Object Details

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