Date of Birth: November 20, 1960
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Biography
Glenn Ligon is a prominent American conceptual artist, born on November 20, 1960, in the Bronx, New York. Ligon is best known for his text-based paintings, photographs, and installations that explore race, language, desire, and identity. His work often incorporates quotes from writers such as James Baldwin and Ralph Ellison, as well as other literary and cultural references. Ligon studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and later transferred to Wesleyan University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1982. Throughout his career, Ligon has received numerous awards and honors, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. Ligon’s works have been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Tate Modern. His thought-provoking pieces challenge viewers to confront and reconsider their preconceptions about race and identity in America.
5 Interesting Facts about Glenn Ligon
1. Glenn Ligon’s work often explores the complexities of race and identity in America through the use of text and language.
2. He was included in the 1991 Whitney Biennial, a pivotal moment that significantly raised his profile in the art world.
3. One of his most famous works is “Untitled (I Am a Man)” from 1988, which references the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike.
4. Ligon has collaborated with other famous artists and writers, including Richard Prince and Hilton Als.
5. His artwork “Stranger” series is based on texts from James Baldwin’s essay “Stranger in the Village.”
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Glenn Ligon
1. “My work is about language and text, but it’s also about what it means to be a person in the world.”
2. “Art is a way of making the invisible visible.”
3. “The things that we keep hidden are often the most powerful.”
4. “I’m very interested in how language can be both a tool of oppression and a tool of liberation.”
5. “I think that art can be a way to engage with history and make it relevant to the present.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
The highest net worth achieved by Glenn Ligon is estimated to be around $5 million.
Children
There is no publicly available information about Glenn Ligon having any children.
Relevant Links
1. [Glenn Ligon at Whitney Museum of American Art](https://whitney.org/artists/4587
2. [Glenn Ligon’s Profile on Art21](https://art21.org/artist/glenn-ligon/
4. [Glenn Ligon at MoMA](https://www.moma.org/artists/3574
5. [Glenn Ligon on Artsy](https://www.artsy.net/artist/glenn-ligon