Ralph Fasanella was an activist whose megaphone was his paintbrush. His images, filled with symbolism, chronicle life in early twentieth-century New York, the American labor movement, the complex bonds of family, and the political injustices and social inequities of his time. His paintings teem with both gritty realities and his own hopeful visions for a prosperous working class.Born in 1914 to Italian immigrant parents, Fasanella was intellectual without formality. Though he never attended art school, he enthusiastically studied the greats, was well read, and was confident in his developed knowledge of painting. He also had an easy way with people, and he found inspiration in those who, like him, worked hard and got their fingernails dirty. Ralph Fasanella: Images of Optimism showcases nearly 70 of Fasanella?s vibrant images of social conscience. An essay by Leslie Umberger articulates Fasanella?s life of action and the deep-seated drive behind his work, and Marc Fasanella offers personal perspectives on this artist of the people.
