Bill
Hodges
Gallery

June 16th - August 25th, 2007

We are proud to announce the exhibition:
“Glenn Ligon: Unauthorized.”
The Bill Hodges Gallery will be exhibiting works by Glenn Ligon from June 16 to August 25, 2007.
This small exhibition of 17 works includes 9 serigraphs from the portfolio Narratives and a rare neon that prominently displays the phrase, Negro Sunshine, in glowing letters.  Unlike his similar neon, Warm Broad Glow, this work is striking because it shows visual illumination of the words Negro Sunshine from the front and not from the back as in Warm Broad Glow.

To truly appreciate Glenn Ligon’s work, the implications of the work requires examination. At first glance, his work may seem very simplistic.  However, when time is taken to study and analyze the medium and content, the verification of his intellect shines brightly.  This can be seen in the aforementioned work titled Negro Sunshine.  A neon sign that illuminates the words Negro Sunshine may seem clear-cut, however take into account those words, brightly illuminated; it brings a vivid awareness of the meaning, and that is simply the beginning.  The term Negro Sunshine is a reference to the stereotype that African Americans have a jolly or even glowing nature. This stereotype is most commonly connected with Gertrude Stein’s novella Melanctha, in which Ms. Stein works to build several black characters that she specifically refers to as lacking aspects that make up the stereotype of Negro Sunshine.  This is possibly an attempt to make light of the term, which around 1905, when the book was written, was more appropriate than Ligon’s almost sarcastic use in the work.

Glenn Ligon was born on April 20th, 1960 in the Bronx, New York and he currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past two decades Ligon’s work has slowly yet steadily risen into the spotlight of the art world.  He has studied at the Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Program in New York and his work has since been added to their collection. He has also grown to be worthy of having several solo exhibitions at museums such as the Whitney Museum in New York, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco Museum of Art among others.

As a gay African American male, Ligon seems to find a special connection with the writings of James Baldwin, as well as Ralph Ellison and Zora Neal Hurston. Portions of James Baldwin’s texts can be found in works such as Untitled (Crowd/The Fire Next Time).  This work, which will also be on exhibit, shows an image of the crowd from The Million Man March, as the background to an excerpt from James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, written in coal dust. The text reads: “something in me wondered ‘What will happen to all the beauty?’”  The coal dust he works with has a beautiful shine to it and seems to have a deeper meaning.  Coal dust is the smaller particles of coal and like its larger sister it is black, beautiful and explosive. 

Bill Hodges Gallery specializes in historically significant African American art. The gallery is located on the 6th floor of 24 West 57th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. Our closest subways include, the F train’s 57th street station, the E/V train’s 53rd street/5th ave. station, and the N/R/Q/W train’s 57th street/7th ave. station. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday 10am – 6pm and on Saturday from 12:30pm until 5:30pm. Press viewings can be arranged prior to the exhibition. For more information, or to arrange a viewing, please call Bill Hodges at 212-333-2640. An illustrated catalogue of the exhibition will be available. Also please visit our web site, www.billhodgesgallery.com.

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