Black Lines Matter: The Work of Glenn Ligon

Glenn Ligon, 'Double America', Neon & Black Paint, 914 mm x 3048 mm, 2012

It would be short-sighted, if not pernicious - and surely indicative of the problem generally, to ignore the waves of anger and protest over the recent death, in Minneapolis Police custody, of George Floyd.

Glenn Ligon, 'Untitled (America)', Oil Stick & Acrylic on Paper, 305 mm x 229 mm, 2007

Glenn Ligon, 'Figure #63', Acrylic, Screen Print & Coal Dust, 1524 mm x 1219 mm, 2010

This is no place to attempt to discuss all the complexities of America's institutional racism (or Britain's, for that matter), and clearly, I can have no real understanding of the everyday lived reality of all that, from the point of view of any BAME person.  This was only ever really intended to be an outlet for my own thoughts about art, in any case.  But sometimes you just have to accept that your own self-indulgent concerns exist within much wider societal or environmental contexts - however insulated your own privileged existence may appear.  Whether this really is the global turning point so many hope for, only time will tell, and the sad fact is, America has been this way before - to relatively little lasting effect.  But it's vital that people keep hoping (and more importantly - pushing) for a breakthrough.  For a variety of reasons, it seems doubtful our species can prevail much longer by maintaining the status quo - and this does feel like a time to stand up and be counted, at the very least.

Glenn Ligon, 'Study For Negro Sunshine #52', Oil Stick, Coal Dust & Gesso, 305 mm X 209 mm, 2010 

Glenn Ligon, 'Warm Broad Glow II', Neon, Paint & Metal (Installation), 
237 mm x 6147 mm x 117 mm, 2011

Glenn Ligon, 'A Small Band', Neon & Paint (Installation), 1899 mm x 20257 mm,
Giardini-Central Pavillion, Venice, 2015

Glenn Ligon, 'Come Out Study #12', Silkscreen on Canvas, 914 mm x 1219 mm, 2014

Naturally, the whole issue of White folks hi-jacking Black folks' struggle is fraught with its own difficulties.  However, many have also pointed out that, as racism is a problem emerging from within white society - white people should also take responsibility, and be instrumental in dismantling it.  An edifice may withstand assault from without indefinitely, if sufficiently fortified - but must eventually collapse if the foundations are also dug away from within.  Also, glib though it may sound - how long can one really go on feeling shame and embarrassment at the crap behaviour of one's own tribe?  Self-respect, and respect for others, must surely be two sides of the same coin.

Glen Ligon, 'Untitled (I Feel Most Coloured When I Am Thrown -  
Against A Sharp White Background)',
Oil Stick, Gesso & Graphite on Wood, 
2032 mm x 76 mm, 1990

Glenn Ligon, 'Untitled (I Am Somebody)', 
Oil Stick, Gesso & Graphite on Wood, 
2032 mm x 76 mm, 1991

Being less than techno-adept, or social media-savvy, at the best of times - I'm ashamed to admit the recent social media blackout gesture rather passed me by, in the moment.  In fact, it was a sign of how dim I can be about such matters, that I initially assumed there was just something wrong with my phone.  As it is, some have since critiqued that as a superficial and wholly inadequate response, anyway.  I don't  have too much of an opinion about that - but it's certainly no excuse for just keeping one's head down.  After a little reflection, the best thing to do here seems to be to use this - my primary channel of on-line communication, to feature the work of an artist who has engaged with all of these issues, far more skilfully than I could ever hope to.

Glenn Ligon, 'Stranger #48', Oil Stick, Acrylic & Coal Dust on Canvas, 1829 mm x 1524 mm, 2011

Glenn Ligon, '(Miserable) Life', Oil Stick & Acrylic on Paper, 305 mm x 229 mm, 2008

Glenn Ligon is a New York based African-American artist, of international standing, whose work I first encountered at Nottingham Contemporary, in 2015, during his self-curated 'Encounters And Collisions' exhibition.  I was immediately struck by both the eloquence and elegance of his own work (be it in the form of 'paintings', drawings, neon, or other installations), and by his ability to create consistently seductive formal artefacts which are both conceptually loaded, and culturally engaged.  I was always going to be drawn to text-based work which also remained so in touch with the traditions of abstract painting - but this work seems to go further than just that.  Certainly, I can think of few other artists so capable of simultaneously exploiting the symbolic and visual potential of black and white - and the effect of one on the other, quite so effectively.  Add in Ligon's strong literary sensibilities, and the sheer poetry of so many of his statements (often borrowed from other powerful Black voices), and you have a body of work which communicates more profoundly than any simple slogan.

Glenn Ligon, 'Debris Field #2', Etching Ink & Ink Marker on Canvas, 2896 mm x 2235 mm, 2018

Glenn Ligon, 'Debris Field #5', Etching Ink on Canvas, 2896 mm x 2235 mm, 2018

To achieve all that is a definite achievement in purely artistic terms.  What elevates Ligon's work still further, is his ability to do it whilst remaining inextricably engaged with the centuries-old struggle of Black people to have their lives and voices recognised, and valued as equal. 
    

Glenn Ligon, 'Stranger Study #12', Oil Stick, Gesso & Coal Dust on Canvas, 1016 mm x 762 mm, 2012