Glenn Ligon

Glenn Ligon (b. 1960) is an artist living and working in New York. Throughout his career, Ligon has pursued an incisive exploration of American history, literature, and society across bodies of work that build critically on the legacies of modern painting and conceptual art. He earned his BA from Wesleyan University (1982) and attended the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program (1985). In 2011, the Whitney Museum of American Art held a mid-career retrospective, AMERICA, organized by Scott Rothkopf, that traveled nationally. Important solo exhibitions include Post-Noir, Carre d’Art, Nîmes (2022); Call and Response, Camden Arts Centre, London (2014); and Some Changes, The Power Plant Center for Contemporary Art, Toronto (traveled internationally) (2005). Select curatorial projects include Grief and Grievance, New Museum, New York (2021); Blue Black, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis (2017); and Encounters andCollisions, Nottingham Contemporary and Tate Liverpool (2015). Ligon’s work has been shown in major international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (2015, 1997), Berlin Biennial (2014), Istanbul Biennial (2019, 2011), and Documenta XI (2002). A solo exhibition and curatorial project entitled Glenn Ligon: All Over the Place opens at The Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, England in September 2024.

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Articles

Art for Democracy: Bid or Buy Now
Art for Democracy: Bid or Buy Now
Collect Top-Selling Artists from Phillips' Record-Breaking '18
Collect Top-Selling Artists from Phillips' Record-Breaking '18
7 Famous Artists Describe Their Favorite Artworks at The Met
7 Famous Artists Describe Their Favorite Artworks at The Met
The Boring Adult's Guide to Miami Art Week
The Boring Adult's Guide to Miami Art Week
In Search of a More Equal Art History: A Q&A
In Search of a More Equal Art History: A Q&A
9 Expert Tips for Building a Great Art Collection
9 Expert Tips for Building a Great Art Collection
The Art History of Hilary Clinton (& Bernie)
The Art History of Hilary Clinton (& Bernie)
Decoding Glenn Ligon's Iconic Commentary on Race
Decoding Glenn Ligon's Iconic Commentary on Race
10 Artists to Watch This February
10 Artists to Watch This February
The History of the Male Nude in 10 Works
The History of the Male Nude in 10 Works
How to Understand the 2015 Venice Biennale Lineup
How to Understand the 2015 Venice Biennale Lineup
Victoria Siddall on Her Plans for Frieze
Victoria Siddall on Her Plans for Frieze
Alex Glauber on Lehman Brothers's Art Collection
Alex Glauber on Lehman Brothers's Art Collection
The “Black Eye” and the Postmodernist Art World
The “Black Eye” and the Postmodernist Art World
10 of the Most Influential MFA Programs
10 of the Most Influential MFA Programs
How the Art World Caught Archive Fever
How the Art World Caught Archive Fever