ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sanford Biggers - Conceptual artist
Sanford Biggers creates art that upends traditional narratives about topics ranging from hip hop to Buddhism to American history.

Why you should listen

An LA native working in NYC, Sanford Biggers creates artworks that integrate film, video, installation, sculpture, drawing, original music and performance. He intentionally complicates issues such as hip hop, Buddhism, politics, identity and art history in order to offer new perspectives and associations for established symbols. Through a multi-disciplinary formal process and a syncretic creative approach, he makes works that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are conceptual.

The significance of Biggers' work within contemporary society has been celebrated through solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally, most recently at the Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture Center and Mass MoCA. He has participated in prestigious residencies and fellowships including: Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany; Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland; Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, California; ARCUS Project Foundation, Ibaraki, Japan; and the Art in General/ Trafo Gallery Eastern European Exchange in Budapest, Hungary. He has been a fellow of the Creative Time Global Residency, the Socrates Sculpture Park Residency, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council World Views AIR Program, the Eyebeam Atelier Teaching Residency, the Studio Museum AIR Program, the P.S. 1 International Studio Program and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture residency.

Biggers' installations, videos and performances have appeared in venues worldwide including Tate Britain and Tate Modern in London, the Whitney Museum and Studio Museum in Harlem, New York and the Yerba Bue a Center for the Arts in San Francisco, as well as institutions in China, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Poland and Russia. The artist's works have been included in notable exhibitions such as: Prospect 1 New Orleans Biennial, Illuminations at the Tate Modern, Performa 07 in NY, the Whitney Biennial and Freestyle at the Studio Museum in Harlem. His works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Walker Art Center, Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum and Bronx Museum.

Biggers has won awards including: the American Academy in Berlin Prize, Greenfield Prize, New York City Art Teachers Association Artist-of-the-Year, Creative Time Travel Grant, Creative Capital Project Grant, New York Percent for the Arts Commission, Art Matters Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts Award, the Lambent Fellowship in the Arts, the Pennies From Heaven/ New York Community Trust Award, Tanne Foundation Award and Rema Hort Mann Foundation Award Grant.

Biggers is Assistant Professor at Columbia University's Visual Arts program and a board member of Sculpture Center, Soho House and the CUE Foundation. He has also taught at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Sculpture and Expanded Media program and was a visiting scholar at Harvard University's VES Department in 2009.

More profile about the speaker
Sanford Biggers | Speaker | TED.com
TED2016

Sanford Biggers: An artist's unflinching look at racial violence

Sanford Biggers: Una mirada de repudio de un artista contra la violencia racial

Filmed:
1,158,104 views

El artista conceptual y TED Fellow Sanford Biggers usa la pintura, la escultura, el material filmado y la actuación en directo para iniciar conversaciones difíciles acerca de la historia y el trauma de la América negra. Seguimosle mientras detalla dos obras convincentes y comparte la razón detrás de su arte. "Sólo a través de un diálogo más reflexivo acerca de la historia y de la raza podemos desarrollarnos como individuos y sociedad", dice Biggers.
- Conceptual artist
Sanford Biggers creates art that upends traditional narratives about topics ranging from hip hop to Buddhism to American history. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

Como artista conceptual,
00:12
As a conceptualconceptual artistartista,
0
976
1394
00:14
I'm constantlyconstantemente looking for creativecreativo waysformas
to sparkchispa challengingdesafiante conversationsconversaciones.
1
2394
4308
busco constantemente maneras creativas
para iniciar conversaciones difíciles.
Lo hago a través de la
pintura, la escultura,
00:18
I do this thoughaunque paintingpintura, sculptureescultura,
videovídeo and performanceactuación.
2
6726
3699
el material filmado
y la actuación en directo.
00:22
But regardlessindependientemente of the formatformato,
3
10449
1439
Pero independientemente del formato,
00:23
two of my favoritefavorito materialsmateriales
are historyhistoria and dialoguediálogo.
4
11912
3452
dos de mis medios favoritos
son la historia y el diálogo.
En 2007, creé "Lotus", una obra
de 2 m de diámetro
00:27
In 2007, I createdcreado "LotusLoto,"
5
15796
2439
00:30
a seven-and-a-half-footsiete y medio pie diameterdiámetro,
6
18259
1774
que representaba una flor de loto
de 272 kg en vidrio.
00:32
600-pound-libra glassvaso depictionrepresentación
of a lotusloto blossomflor.
7
20057
3555
00:35
In BuddhismBudismo, the lotusloto is a symbolsímbolo
for transcendencetrascendencia
8
23937
3469
En el budismo el loto es
un símbolo de trascendencia,
00:39
and for puritypureza of mindmente and spiritespíritu.
9
27430
2428
la pureza de la mente y el espíritu.
00:41
But a closercerca look at this lotusloto
10
29882
2421
Sin embargo, una mirada
más cercana a este loto
00:44
revealsrevela eachcada petalpétalo
to be the cross-sectionsección transversal of a slaveesclavo shipenviar.
11
32327
3214
revela que cada pétalo es una sección
transversal de un barco de esclavos.
00:47
This iconicicónico diagramdiagrama was takentomado
from a Britishbritánico slavingesclavitud manualmanual
12
35985
3675
Este diagrama representativo fue tomado
de un manual del esclavista británico
00:51
and laterluego used by abolitionistsabolicionistas to showespectáculo
the atrocitiesatrocidades of slaveryesclavitud.
13
39684
3833
que luego lo usaron los abolicionistas
para demostrar las atrocidades
de la esclavitud.
00:56
In AmericaAmerica, we don't like
to talk about slaveryesclavitud,
14
44104
2405
En EE. UU. ni nos gusta
hablar de la esclavitud
00:58
norni do we look at it as a globalglobal industryindustria.
15
46533
2840
ni la vemos como una industria global.
01:01
But by usingutilizando this BuddhistBudista symbolsímbolo,
16
49397
1628
Pero mediante el uso
de este símbolo budista,
01:03
I hopeesperanza to universalizeuniversalizar and transcendtrascender
17
51049
2603
espero universalizar y superar
los limites de la historia
01:05
the historyhistoria and traumatrauma of blacknegro AmericaAmerica
18
53676
2389
y el trauma de nuestra América negra,
01:08
and encouragealentar discussionsdiscusiones
about our sharedcompartido pastpasado.
19
56089
3364
y también fomentar el diálogo
sobre nuestro pasado compartido.
01:12
To createcrear "LotusLoto,"
we carvedtallado over 6,000 figuresfiguras.
20
60033
4095
Para crear "Lotus", hemos
tallado más de 6000 figuras
que se convirtieron en un encargo
de la ciudad de Nueva York
01:16
And this laterluego led to a commissioncomisión
by the CityCiudad of NewNuevo YorkYork
21
64469
2723
para crear una versión de acero de 8.5 m
01:19
to createcrear a 28-foot-pie versionversión in steelacero
22
67216
2254
01:21
as a permanentpermanente installationinstalación
at the EagleÁguila AcademyAcademia for YoungJoven MenHombres,
23
69494
3442
como instalación permanente
en la Eagle Academy para los jóvenes,
01:24
a schoolcolegio for blacknegro and latinolatino studentsestudiantes,
24
72960
2138
una escuela para
estudiantes negros y latinos,
01:27
the two groupsgrupos mostmás affectedafectado
by this historyhistoria.
25
75122
2673
dos de los grupos más
afectados por esta historia.
01:30
The samemismo two groupsgrupos are very affectedafectado
by a more recentreciente phenomenonfenómeno,
26
78244
3551
Los mismos dos grupos están muy afectados
por un fenómeno más reciente,
01:33
but let me digressdivagar.
27
81819
1623
pero permítanme una digresión.
He estado coleccionando
figuras africanas de madera
01:35
I've been collectingcoleccionar
woodende madera Africanafricano figuresfiguras
28
83840
2167
01:38
from touristturista shopstiendas and fleapulga marketsmercados
around the worldmundo.
29
86031
2484
de tiendas turísticas y
mercadillos de todo el mundo.
01:40
The authenticityautenticidad and originorigen
of them is completelycompletamente debatablediscutible,
30
88539
3082
Su autenticidad y origen
son claramente discutibles,
01:43
but people believe these
to be imbuedimbuido with powerpoder,
31
91645
2658
pero la gente cree que otorgan
poderes o incluso que son mágicas.
01:46
or even magicmagia.
32
94327
1332
01:47
Only recentlyrecientemente have I figuredfigurado out
how to use this in my ownpropio work.
33
95683
3126
Y recientemente he descubierto
como usarlos en mi propio trabajo.
01:51
(GunPistola shotsdisparos)
34
99412
6809
(Disparos)
Desde 2012 el mundo ha sido testigo
de la muerte de Trayvon Martin,
02:05
SinceYa que 2012, the worldmundo has witnessedtestigo
the killingsasesinatos of TrayvonTrayvon MartinMartín,
35
113253
4168
02:09
MichaelMiguel Brownmarrón, EricEric GarnerGranero,
SandraSandra BlandAmable, TamirTamir RiceArroz
36
117445
3740
Michael Brown, Eric Garner,
Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice,
y, literalmente, un sinnúmero de otros
ciudadanos negros desarmados
02:13
and literallyliteralmente countlessincontable other
unarmeddesarmado blacknegro citizenslos ciudadanos
37
121209
2960
02:16
at the handsmanos of the policepolicía,
38
124193
1429
a manos de la policía,
02:17
who frequentlyfrecuentemente walkcaminar away
with no punishmentcastigo at all.
39
125646
2808
que con frecuencia se salen con la suya.
02:20
In considerationconsideración of these victimsvíctimas
40
128775
2029
Para homenajear a estas víctimas
02:22
and the severalvarios timesveces that even I,
41
130828
1810
y por las varias veces que incluso yo,
02:24
a law-abidingrespetuoso de la ley, IvyHiedra LeagueLiga professorprofesor,
42
132662
2473
un profesor de una universidad
de renombre que respeta la ley,
02:27
have been targetedapuntado and harassedacosado
at gunpointpunta de pistola by the policepolicía.
43
135159
3464
he sido blanco de ataques y acoso
a punta de pistola a manos de la policía.
02:30
I createdcreado this bodycuerpo of work
simplysimplemente entitledintitulado "BAMBAM."
44
138647
3654
he creado este cuerpo de trabajo
titulado simplemente "BAM".
02:36
It was importantimportante to eraseborrar
the identityidentidad of eachcada of these figuresfiguras,
45
144389
3499
Era importante borrar la identidad
de cada una de estas estatuas,
02:39
to make them all look the samemismo
and easiermás fácil to disregardindiferencia.
46
147912
3749
para hacer que todas se parezcan
y sean más fácil de pasar por alto.
Para ello, les sumerjo
en una espesa cera de color marrón
02:43
To do this, I dipinmersión them in a thickgrueso,
brownmarrón waxcera
47
151685
2200
02:45
before takingtomando them to a shootingdisparo rangedistancia
48
153909
1963
antes de llevarlas a un campo de tiro
donde les esculpo de nuevo usando balas.
02:47
where I re-sculptedreesculpido them usingutilizando bulletsbalas.
49
155896
2798
Y fue divertido,
02:51
And it was fundivertido,
50
159098
1181
Jugando con armas grandes
y cámaras de vídeo de alta velocidad.
02:52
playingjugando with biggrande gunspistolas and
high-speedalta velocidad videovídeo camerascámaras.
51
160303
2837
02:55
But my reverencereverencia for these figuresfiguras
keptmantenido me from actuallyactualmente pullingtracción the triggerdesencadenar,
52
163164
3657
Pero mi veneración
me hizo vacilar al apretar el gatillo,
ya que de alguna manera tenía la sensación
de dispararme a mí mismo.
02:58
somehowde algun modo feelingsensación as if I would
be shootingdisparo myselfmí mismo.
53
166845
2658
03:01
FinallyFinalmente, my cameramancamarógrafo, RaulRaúl,
fireddespedido the shotsdisparos.
54
169995
3230
Al final, mi cámara, Raul, disparó.
03:06
I then tooktomó the fragmentsfragmentos of these
55
174503
1869
Entonces reuní los fragmentos
03:08
and createdcreado moldsmoldes,
and castemitir them first in waxcera,
56
176396
3528
cree moldes, primero en cera,
03:12
and finallyfinalmente in bronzebronce
like the imageimagen you see here,
57
180749
3103
y luego en en bronce
como en la imagen que se ve aquí
03:15
whichcual bearsosos the marksmarcas
of its violentviolento creationcreación
58
183876
2104
y que lleva las marcas
de de su violenta creación
03:18
like battlebatalla woundsheridas or scarscicatrices.
59
186004
1808
a modo de heridas o cicatrices de guerra.
03:20
When I showedmostró this work recentlyrecientemente in MiamiMiami,
60
188583
2008
Cuando presenté este trabajo
recientemente en Miami,
03:22
a womanmujer told me she feltsintió
everycada gunpistola shotDisparo to her soulalma.
61
190615
2785
una mujer me dijo que sentía
cada disparo en su alma.
03:25
But she alsoademás feltsintió that these artworksilustraciones
62
193424
2591
pero también que estas obras de arte
03:28
memorializedconmemorado the victimsvíctimas of these killingsasesinatos
63
196039
2000
Inmortalizaban a las víctimas
de estos homicidios
03:30
as well as other victimsvíctimas of
racialracial violenceviolencia throughouten todo US historyhistoria.
64
198063
3189
así como a otras víctimas de la violencia
racial a lo largo de la historia de EE.UU.
03:33
But "LotusLoto" and "BAMBAM" are largermás grande
than just US historyhistoria.
65
201812
3034
Pero "Lotus" y "BAM" van más allá
que nuestra historia nacional.
03:36
While showingdemostración in BerlinBerlina last yearaño,
66
204870
1864
En Berlín el año pasado,
03:38
a philosophyfilosofía studentestudiante askedpreguntó me
what promptedincitado these recentreciente killingsasesinatos.
67
206758
3561
un estudiante de filosofía me preguntó
que provocó estas muertes recientes.
03:42
I showedmostró him a photofoto
of a lynchinglinchamiento postcardtarjeta postal
68
210343
2618
Le mostré una foto de una postal
de un linchamiento de los años 1900
03:44
from the earlytemprano 1900s
69
212985
1365
03:46
and remindedrecordado him that these killingsasesinatos
have been going on for over 500 yearsaños.
70
214374
5072
y le recordé que estos homicidios
se llevan a cabo desde
hace más de 500 años.
Pero solo a través de
preguntas como la suya
03:51
But it's only throughmediante questionspreguntas like his
71
219922
1906
03:53
and more thoughtfulpensativo dialoguediálogo
about historyhistoria and racecarrera
72
221852
2842
y un diálogo más reflexivo
sobre la historia y la raza
03:56
can we evolveevolucionar as individualsindividuos and societysociedad.
73
224718
2578
podemos mejorar como
individuos y sociedad.
03:59
I hopeesperanza my artworkilustraciones createscrea a safeseguro spaceespacio
74
227709
2833
Espero que mi obra cree un espacio seguro
04:02
for this typetipo of honesthonesto exchangeintercambiar
75
230566
2412
para este tipo de intercambios honestos
04:05
and an opportunityoportunidad for people
to engagecontratar one anotherotro
76
233002
2739
y sea una oportunidad
para que la gente inicie
04:07
in realreal and necessarynecesario conversationconversacion.
77
235765
2888
una conversación real e imprescindible.
04:10
Thank you.
78
238751
1150
Gracias.
04:11
(ApplauseAplausos)
79
239925
6463
(Aplausos)

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sanford Biggers - Conceptual artist
Sanford Biggers creates art that upends traditional narratives about topics ranging from hip hop to Buddhism to American history.

Why you should listen

An LA native working in NYC, Sanford Biggers creates artworks that integrate film, video, installation, sculpture, drawing, original music and performance. He intentionally complicates issues such as hip hop, Buddhism, politics, identity and art history in order to offer new perspectives and associations for established symbols. Through a multi-disciplinary formal process and a syncretic creative approach, he makes works that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are conceptual.

The significance of Biggers' work within contemporary society has been celebrated through solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally, most recently at the Brooklyn Museum, Sculpture Center and Mass MoCA. He has participated in prestigious residencies and fellowships including: Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany; Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw, Poland; Headlands Center for the Arts, Sausalito, California; ARCUS Project Foundation, Ibaraki, Japan; and the Art in General/ Trafo Gallery Eastern European Exchange in Budapest, Hungary. He has been a fellow of the Creative Time Global Residency, the Socrates Sculpture Park Residency, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council World Views AIR Program, the Eyebeam Atelier Teaching Residency, the Studio Museum AIR Program, the P.S. 1 International Studio Program and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture residency.

Biggers' installations, videos and performances have appeared in venues worldwide including Tate Britain and Tate Modern in London, the Whitney Museum and Studio Museum in Harlem, New York and the Yerba Bue a Center for the Arts in San Francisco, as well as institutions in China, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Poland and Russia. The artist's works have been included in notable exhibitions such as: Prospect 1 New Orleans Biennial, Illuminations at the Tate Modern, Performa 07 in NY, the Whitney Biennial and Freestyle at the Studio Museum in Harlem. His works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Walker Art Center, Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum and Bronx Museum.

Biggers has won awards including: the American Academy in Berlin Prize, Greenfield Prize, New York City Art Teachers Association Artist-of-the-Year, Creative Time Travel Grant, Creative Capital Project Grant, New York Percent for the Arts Commission, Art Matters Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts Award, the Lambent Fellowship in the Arts, the Pennies From Heaven/ New York Community Trust Award, Tanne Foundation Award and Rema Hort Mann Foundation Award Grant.

Biggers is Assistant Professor at Columbia University's Visual Arts program and a board member of Sculpture Center, Soho House and the CUE Foundation. He has also taught at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Sculpture and Expanded Media program and was a visiting scholar at Harvard University's VES Department in 2009.

More profile about the speaker
Sanford Biggers | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee