The artwork, titled “Freedom of Speech,” was created by Faith Ringgold in 1990. It belongs to the Postcolonial art movement and is categorized within the figurative genre.
The artwork is a visual representation influenced by the style of the American flag. The traditional stars and stripes are used as a conceptual framework, where the blue field and stars are densely filled with names and phrases, signifying a multitude of voices and narratives. The red and white stripes carry portions of the text from the First Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, emphasizing the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. The juxtaposition of text and names in the blue section with the text from the Bill of Rights in the stripes highlights the interconnectedness of individual expression with constitutional guarantees. The aesthetic choice of embedding these significant texts within an iconic national symbol underscores the critical examination of freedoms and rights in the context of American history and identity.
