WHO
Glenn Ligon

WHAT
Best known for his text-based paintings, the New York-based American conceptual artist’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong features his renowned ‘Stranger’ paintings, a new abstract series called ‘Static’, and untitled drawings on Kozo paper. Ligon’s use of excerpts from James Baldwin’s influential essay ‘Stranger in the Village’ explores the politics of culture and identity. The monochromatic exhibition is accompanied by a publication to be released in June 2024.

WHY
The artist’s exploration of American history, literature, and society makes this show a must-see. Although he started as an abstract painter, the artist began to introduce text and words into his work during the mid-1980s – this was in order to better express his political concerns and ideas about racial identity. He references many prominent African-American writers such as James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison, and more importantly is noted as one of the originators of the term Post-Blackness.