Umberto Boccioni’s 1910 The City Rises depicts a chaotic and bustling scene of manual labor and construction in a “rising city.”  There is a prominently placed red horse in the center foreground, which workmen struggle to control.  Red represents anger and lack of control, and so the red horse symbolizes the inability of society to control the unfolding changes in cities, namely rapid industrialization, technological advancement, and the introduction of a fast-paced way of life. The long strokes used by Boccioni convey a sense of disorder and bewilderment.  The use of a wide variety of vibrant colors is revelatory of the vivacity and liveliness of humming city life. This painting’s motion and speed indicate that this is a painting inspired by Italian Futurism, which emphasizes speed, technology, mass production, and the growth of industrialized cities.

Faith Ringgold’s 1967 American People Series #20: Die portrays a frantic spectacle that represents the race riots that engulfed the United States in the 1960s. There is blood spilling everywhere as white and black adults violently assault each other – with the ostensible goal of killing members of the other race. The figures in the painting are well-dressed in formal attire, which speaks to the hidden racial antipathies that pervade all facets of American society. The wide, open eyes of the figures conveys a sense of craziness and rampant lunacy. The background consists of square panels of different shades that is presumably meant to demonstrate the diversity of American society and how race relations will be impacted as a result of these riots.