Glenn Ligon Bio

Glenn Ligon is an artist based in New York and known for his text-based paintings that explore American history, literature, culture, and identity by incorporating significant writings and words from important figures in the 20th century. In 1982, he graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University and attended the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program in 1985. Ligon has won many awards for his work, including a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and the Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize from the Studio Museum in Harlem; and his work is included in the permanent collections of many institutions around the world.

Artist Statement