Glenn Ligon

Glenn Ligon is a contemporary artist whose work explores the complexities of race, identity, and history through a rich interplay of text, image, and abstraction. Known for his deeply evocative and intellectually rigorous pieces, Ligon’s art reflects his ongoing engagement with the narratives of the American experience, particularly as they pertain to race and cultural memory. His work moves beyond representation, urging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths while offering a space for reflection and connection.

Ligon's most iconic works include Untitled (I Am a Man) (1988), The Black Cat (1993), and Notes on the Margin of the Black Book (1991). These pieces are often characterized by their use of text—frequently drawn from literature, history, and cultural ephemera—paired with minimalist or abstract compositions that speak to the intersection of personal and collective memory. Untitled (I Am a Man), for example, features the phrase “I AM A MAN” repeated in bold, hand-painted letters, referencing the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers' strike, yet also speaking to the broader struggles for civil rights and equality in America.