American Collection #5: Bessie's Blues

Faith Ringgold employed thick lines and forms to portray the singer Bessie Smith, also known as "Empress of the Blues." The deliberate dissonance between Smith's melodies and their musical accompaniment finds a visual echo in Ringgold's pared-down portrait of the glamorous Smith (known for bespangled dresses and sparkly jewelry). The subtle variations among the repeated portraits hint at the variations in pitch and rhythm in the choruses of Smith's songs.