Harlem Bespoke: Faith Ringold is the most famous living Harlem artist who now has a retrospective at the New Museum further downtown but uptowners can still see some past works for free at the local subway stations. One of the best pieces of public art might be found at the 2,3 station on 125th Street. African-American artist Faith Ringgold has an entire series of mosaics that captures the classical art form and reinvents in a historic Harlem context.
Floating dream-like figures pass over cultural institutions such as the Apollo, the Harlem Opera House and the Cotton Club might look familiar to some. Those who really know their black history will look closer and recognize Billie Holiday in pink gown with the iconic flower behind her ear or boxer Joe Lewis over the Polo Grounds stadium, Duke Ellington wearing his top hat over the Cotton Club and the bespectacled artist Aaron Douglass by the former Studio Museum building amongst others. Faith Ringgold who was born in 1930, remembers all of these people or places that make up the history of Harlem and has thus immortalized everything for all to see in the most populist fashion. Those interested in learning more about the the artist can also purchase a ticket at the New Museum and see the current exhibit on the Lower East Side:
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