Women and Gender in Literature and Art

Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of the novel, The Color Purple

Meet France-based Rwandan Novelist Scholastique Mukasonga

Faith Ringgold's Sunflower quilting bee at Arles, 1997

Women and Quiltmaking

The making of a quilt was and still is a practical means to provide physical protection and insulation. Pieces of "scrap" material are sewn together and the patches form a disparate but harmonious multi-layered textile. A source of comfort and warmth for centuries, a quilt can also disclose valuable information about its creator. Quilting was often a communal activity involving women and young girls in a family or the community and over the years, quilt making has advanced from practicality to a highly evolved art. African American women in particular have been a part of the history of quilting and their quilting methods reflect our rich collective heritage.

We use the feminine metaphor of the quilt to show how we are all diverse pieces that are part of a community; part of a whole. We exist like a quilt and it is the interconnection of the fabric and stitching of our being that brings about our strength and beauty.

We look back on the black women who made history in literature and art, and we look forward with the women who continue to create external, eternal, expressions in the Arts.

We endeavor to tell their story. Our story.

Below we have highlighted some of the many women of color who are a part of our metaphoric quilt. Across many centuries they have contributed their visual and literary work to the Arts. From sculptors to painters, poets to novelists, designers to playwrights, these women have trailblazed from being largely unrecognized to reaching international critical acclaim.

Kara Walker

Best known for her black cut-out paper silhouettes, Kara Walker (b. 1969) is a painter and printmaker who explores race, gender, sexuality and identity in her work.

www.karawalkerstudio.com

Audre Lorde

A feminist. A womanist. A self-described "warrior poet" Audre Lorde's (1934-1992) creative work addressed issues of sexism, classism and racism. Her work on black feminism is still explored today.

Edmonia Lewis

Edmonia Lewis (1844-1907) was born to a free African-American and a Chippewa Indian and went on to be the first African-American sculptor. Portrait busts of abolitionists and subjects depicting her dual African-American and Native American ancestry were her specialty.

Lorraine Hansberry

Best known for her play, "A Raisin in the Sun," civil rights activist Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965) surely would have gone on to write other works of significance had she not succumbed to cancer at such an early age. Her play's message resonated then, and it continues to reverberate today. It has been made into two films and has continued to be performed on the stage over the decades.

Nikki Giovanni

Poet, writer, activist and educator, Nikki Giovanni (b.1943), currently a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, has written some of the most seminal poetry on black womanhood and black manhood. She has received many awards (among them a Grammy in 2004 for her spoken word poetry) and fellowships. In addition to publishing her own books of poetry, she once co-authored a book with writer and activist James Baldwin.

Ruth E. Carter

Ruth E. Carter (b. 1960) is a an American costume designer for film and television. With over 40 films to her credit, she has been nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. She later went on to win the award for her work on the movie, Black Panther, and is the first African-American person to win in this category. Her inspiration for the designs on the movie were garnered from traditional African garments. Carter is currently designing costumes for the American television drama series Being Mary Jane on BET Networks,

Nina Chanel Abney

A look into the future will see more of Nina Chanel Abney's (b. 1982) work as part of our mainstream culture. An African-American contemporary artist, her paintings explore race, gender and pop culture. Her works are identified by the bold, bright colors she uses to explore deep topics of our time. Her latest collaboration is with Pharrell's non-profit organization, Black Ambition, and her uniquely designed UNO card games (currently sold-out). The Whitney Museum of Art currently holds some of her work and her work can also be found in Sotheby's.

Tayari Jones

Author of four novels, Tayari Jones (b.1970) is a novelist and educator whose work focuses on marriage, family and the African-American experience of living in the South. Her most recent book, An American Marriage, was published in 2018 and was quickly an Oprah Winfrey Book Club pick and Winfrey also announced that she is producing a film adaptation of the book. President Barack Obama included An American Marriage on his summer 2018 reading list. Jones also won the Woman's Prize for Fiction for this book in 2019.

Photo Credit:

Alice Walker quote picture courtesy of Reddit

Faith Ringgold quilting bee image: the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Kara Walker picture courtesy of britannica.com

Audre Lorde picture courtesy of Poetry Foundation

Edmonia Lewis picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Lorraine Hansberry picture courtesy of ThoughtCo

Nikki Giovanni picture courtesy of nicki-giovanni.com

Ruth E. Carter picture courtesy of indiewire.com

Nina Chanel Abney picture courtesy of theguardian.com

Tayari Jones picture courtesy of tayarijones.com