Sanford Biggers (born 1970 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

) is a

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

-based interdisciplinary artist who works in film/video,

installation Installation may refer to: * Installation (computer programs) * Installation, work of installation art * Installation, military base * Installation, into an office, especially a religious (Installation (Christianity) Installation is a Christian li ...

, sculpture, music, and performance.Modern Exhibitions
An

L.A. Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

native, he has lived and worked in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

since 1999.

Life and education

Biggers was born in 1970 in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. He is the son of a neurosurgeon, his father, and of a teacher, his mother. He received a BA from Morehouse College in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

, an MFA from the

School of the Art Institute of Chicago The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a private art school associated with the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to an art students' cooperative founded in 1866, which grew into the museum and ...

, Illinois and attended

Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture is an artists residency located in Madison, Maine, just outside of Skowhegan. Every year, the program accepts online applications from emerging artists from November through January, and selects 65 ...

in 1998. Biggers says that due to a lack of art major classes at Morehouse, he was required to take the majority of his classes at the all-women

Spelman College Spelman College is a private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman rece ...

Work

Biggers first received critical attention when his collaborative work with David Ellis, ''Mandala of the B-Bodhisattva II'', was included in the exhibition "Freestyle", curated by

Thelma Golden Thelma Golden (born 1965 in St. Albans, Queens) is the Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City, United States. Golden joined the Museum as Deputy Director for Exhibitions and Programs in 2000 before succeeding ...

at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 2001. Since, his works have been presented internationally including the

Tate Modern Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It ...

in London, the

Renaissance Society The Renaissance Society, founded in 1915, is a leading independent contemporary art museum located on the campus of the University of Chicago, with a focus on the commissioning and production of new works by international artists. The kunsthalle- ...

in Chicago, Prospect 1 in New Orleans and the

Whitney Biennial The Whitney Biennial is a biennial exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, United States. The event began as an annual exhibition ...

the Kitchen The Kitchen is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary avant-garde performance and experimental art institution located at 512 West 19th Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was foun ...

and Performa 07 (curated by Roselee Goldberg) in New York. Biggers's art frequently references African-American ethnography, hip hop music,

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...

, African spirituality, Indo-European

Vodoun Vodun (meaning ''spirit'' in the Fon, Gun and Ewe languages, with a nasal high-tone ''u''; also spelled Vodon, Vodoun, Vodou, Vudu, Voudou, Voodoo, etc.) is a religion practiced by the Aja, Ewe, and Fon peoples of Benin, Togo, Ghana, and ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

Afrofuturism Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic, and philosophy of science and history that explores the intersection of the African diaspora culture with science and technology. It addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technocultu ...

, urban culture and icons from

Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...

. He claims to place "no hierarchy on chronology, references or media" and his work has been characterized by meditation and improvisation. He says his themes are "meant to broaden and complicate our read on American history." He also uses syncretism to highlight the interconnectedness of seemly disparate cultural practices. In order to make the viewer an active element, Biggers often turns his sculptures into performances. Having spent most of his life playing piano, this performative element frequently takes the form of music. He has collaborated on music projects with Saul Williams a.k.a. Niggy Tardust,

Esthero Esthero ( ; born Jenny-Bea Englishman on December 23, 1978 in Stratford, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, California. The name ''Esthero'' refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of hersel ...

Martin Luther McCoy Martin Luther McCoy (born August 1, 1973) is an American musician and actor. Early life McCoy is a San Francisco native from the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. Career Martin collaborated extensively with musicians like The Roots and Cody ...

Imani Uzuri Imani Uzuri is an American vocalist and composer. Uzuri has collaborated with artists across various disciplines including co-writing and singing the song "Be Still" for Herbie Hancock's album '' Future 2 Future''. In 2012 Uzuri released her s ...

, Rich Medina, and Jahi Sundance. In 2014, Biggers departed from his typical medium by painting on quilts that were given to him by the descendants of slave owners. Biggers is Affiliate Faculty at the

Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virginia ...

Sculpture and Expanded Media program and was a visiting scholar at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

's VES Department in 2009. He was previously an Assistant Professor at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

's Visual Arts program.

Recognition

In 2019, Biggers was inducted into the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame. In 2010, Biggers was awarded the Greenfield Prize at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, a two-year residency and commission of new work. The commission formed the centerpiece of ''Sanford Biggers: Codex'', a 2012 solo exhibition at the

Ringling Museum The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the official state art museum of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable Burton Ringling and John Ringling for the people of Florida. Florida State Univ ...

curated by Matthew McLendon. In 2009 he received the William H. Johnson Prize and was one of the three finalists for the inaugural Jack Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts, the largest juried prize in the world to go to an individual visual artist. Biggers in 2008 received the

Creative Capital Creative Capital is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in New York City that supports artists across the United States through funding, counsel, gatherings, and career development services. Since its founding in 1999, Creative Capital has commi ...

Award in the discipline of Visual Arts. Biggers was an Eyebeam artist-in-residence in 2000. in 2018 Biggers was interviewed by Vinson Cunningham, a writer for the ''

New Yorker New Yorker or ''variant'' primarily refers to: * A resident of the State of New York ** Demographics of New York (state) * A resident of New York City ** List of people from New York City * ''The New Yorker'', a magazine founded in 1925 * '' The ...

'' magazine, about his impact on contemporary political art and his role in the

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police br ...

movement. Also in 2018 Biggers was given an art award by the

American Academy of Arts and Letters The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headqu ...

. In 2021, Biggers received the 26th Annual

Heinz Award The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Enviro ...

for the Arts.

Exhibitions

Source unless otherwise noted:

Solo

"Sanford Biggers" - Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. September 7 - December 30, 2018 * "Selah" — Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, New York. September 7 - October 21, 2017 * "The Pasts They Brought with Them" — Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. February 11 - April 2, 2016 * "Shuffle, Shake - Everson Museum" — Urban Video Project (UVP) and

Everson Museum of Art Everson may refer to: People with the surname * Ben Everson (born 1987), English footballer * Bill Everson (1906–1966), Welsh international rugby union player * Cliff Everson, a New Zealand car designer and manufacturer * Corinna Everson (born ...

, Syracuse, New York. November 6 - December 27, 2014 * "3 Dollars and Six Dimes" — David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida. May 15 - July 5, 2014 * "Vex" —

Baldwin Gallery The Baldwin Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Aspen, Colorado established by Richard Edwards in 1994. The gallery features a variety of mainly American but also international contemporary artists and works including painting, drawing, sculpt ...

, Aspen, Colorado. June 27-20, 2014 * "Sugar, Pork, Bourbon" — Massimo De Carlo Gallery, Milan, Italy. April 5 - May 18, 2013 * "Dark Star" — Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, New York. July 6–22, 2013 * "Ago" — Monique Meloche Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. April 13 - June, 2013 * "The Cartographers Conundrum" —

Mass MoCA The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is a museum in a converted Arnold Print Works factory building complex located in North Adams, Massachusetts. It is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing ar ...

, North Adams, Massachusetts. October 2012 * "Codex" —

John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the official state art museum of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable Burton Ringling and John Ringling for the people of Florida. Florida State Univ ...

, Sarasota, Florida. March 30 - October 14, 2012 * "Sweet Funk – An Introspective" —

The Brooklyn Museum The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown H ...

, Brooklyn, New York. September 23, 2011 - January 8, 2012 * "Cosmic Voodoo Circus" —

SculptureCenter SculptureCenter is a not-for-profit, contemporary art museum located in Long Island City, Queens, New York City. It was founded in 1928 as "The Clay Club" by Dorothea Denslow. In 2013, SculptureCentre attracted around 13,000 visitors. History Fo ...

, Long Island City, Queens, New York. September 10 - November 28, 2011 * "Moon Medicine" — Museum of Contemporary Arts, Santa Barbara, California. 2010 * "Blossom" — Grand Arts, Kansas City, Missouri September 7 – October 20, 2007

Group

* "Matter" — David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida. December 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016 * "Eight Sculptors" — Paula Copper Gallery, New York, New York November 10 –- December 22, 2012 * "2018 Ceremonial Exhibition: Work by new members and recipients of awards" -

References

External links

Sanford Biggers at Marianne Boesky GallerySanford Biggers and Jennifer Zackin: a small world...
A 2012 exhibition at The Jewish Museum, NY.
Show and Tell: Sanford Biggers
''NY Mag''
‘Stranger Fruit,’ indeed
''Harvard Gazette''
Sanford Biggers’s Moon Medicine at Contemporary Arts Forum
''Santa Barbara Independent''

''Oregon Live''
This year's Greenfield Prize winner melds a variety of talents and thoughts
''Herald Tribune''
The deeply political, bold and rich work of Harlem's Sanford Biggers
''ALL ARTS''
Sanford Biggers Opens Multimedia Installation at Rockefeller Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biggers, Sanford African-American contemporary artists American contemporary artists Interdisciplinary artists Morehouse College alumni Columbia University faculty 1970 births Living people Artists from Los Angeles Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture alumni 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people