Romie We Love You

Title

Romie We Love You

Description

This serigraph references famed artist and founder of African-American artist collective Spiral, Romare Bearden (referenced here as “Romie.”) Picturing Bearden with one of his many beloved cats, Ringgold depicts a sweet and intimate vision of the man whose charming smile meets the viewer. Surrounding his yellow figure, triangles contain the words: "Romie We Love You."
As a simple testament of their relationship, Ringgold pays tribute to her friend, also a highly influential artist. Visually playful, the viewer identifies one single word appearing in each of the brightly- colored triangles, provoking a second read of the artwork. As in Mahalia We Love You, the central figure in the work is ornamented with a frame of leaves and flowers. The “we” and “us,” used by Ringgold, entails both a direct reference to the prolific artist community she is part of, and evokes unity through the artistic process–the collective “we” and “us” are artists, viewers, and the community therein.

Creator

Faith Ringgold

Date

7/20/2012

Format

Serigraph

Provenance

David C. Driskell Center Permanent Collection,
Gift from Che Alexander Holton

Files

Romie We Love You.jpeg

Citation

Faith Ringgold, “Romie We Love You,” Ringgold | Saar: Meeting on the Matrix, accessed December 22, 2024, https://black-printmaking.artinterp.org/items/show/37.