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: Lo sguardo risoluto di un artista nei confronti della violenza razziale

Filmed:
1,158,104 views

L'artista concettuale e membro TED, Sanford Biggers, utilizza pittura, scultura, video e rappresentazioni teatrali per creare discussioni sulla storia e il trauma dell'America nera. Seguitelo mentre descrive due suoi progetti e condivide la motivazione che sta dietro alla sua arte. Biggers sostiene che: "Solo attraverso un dialogo riflessivo sulla storia e sulla razza possiamo evolvere come individui e società".
- 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.

00:12
As a conceptualconcettuale artistartista,
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Come artista concettuale,
00:14
I'm constantlycostantemente looking for creativecreativo waysmodi
to sparkscintilla challengingstimolante conversationsconversazioni.
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cerco costantemente modi creativi
per far nascere conversazioni stimolanti.
00:18
I do this thoughanche se paintingla pittura, sculpturescultura,
videovideo and performanceprestazione.
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Faccio questo attraverso pittura,
scultura, filmati e teatro.
00:22
But regardlessindipendentemente of the formatformato,
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Ma al di là del formato,
00:23
two of my favoritefavorito materialsmateriale
are historystoria and dialoguedialogo.
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due fonti d'ispirazione che preferisco
sono la storia e il dialogo.
00:27
In 2007, I createdcreato "LotusLotus,"
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Nel 2007 ho creato "Lotus",
00:30
a seven-and-a-half-footsette-e-un-metà-piede diameterdiametro,
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con un diametro di 200 cm
e un peso di 270 kg,
00:32
600-pound-libbra glassbicchiere depictionrappresentazione
of a lotusloto blossomBlossom.
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raffigurazione di vetro
di un fiore di loto.
00:35
In BuddhismBuddismo, the lotusloto is a symbolsimbolo
for transcendencetrascendenza
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Nel Buddismo, il loto è simbolo
del trascendente,
00:39
and for puritypurezza of mindmente and spiritspirito.
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della purità della mente
e dello spirito.
00:41
But a closerpiù vicino look at this lotusloto
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Ma uno sguardo più vicino a questo loto
00:44
revealsrivela eachogni petalpetalo
to be the cross-sectionsezione trasversale of a slaveschiavo shipnave.
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rivela che ogni petalo raffigura
la sezione di una nave da schiavi.
00:47
This iconiciconica diagramdiagramma was takenprese
from a BritishBritannico slavingschiavi manualManuale
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Questa immagine simbolica
è stata presa
da un manuale britannico
sulla schiavitù
00:51
and laterdopo used by abolitionistsabolizionisti to showmostrare
the atrocitiesatrocità of slaveryschiavitù.
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e più tardi
utilizzato dagli abolizionisti
per mostrare le atrocità della schiavitù.
00:56
In AmericaAmerica, we don't like
to talk about slaveryschiavitù,
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In America non ci piace
parlare della schiavitù,
00:58
nor do we look at it as a globalglobale industryindustria.
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e nemmeno la vediamo
come un'industria globale.
01:01
But by usingutilizzando this BuddhistBuddista symbolsimbolo,
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Ma utilizzando questo
simbolo buddista,
01:03
I hopesperanza to universalizeuniversalizzare and transcendtrascendere
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spero di universalizzare
e superare
01:05
the historystoria and traumatrauma of blacknero AmericaAmerica
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la storia e il trauma dell'America nera
01:08
and encourageincoraggiare discussionsdiscussioni
about our shareddiviso pastpassato.
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e incoraggiare discussioni
sul nostro passato comune.
01:12
To createcreare "LotusLotus,"
we carvedintagliato over 6,000 figuresfigure.
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Per creare "Lotus"
abbiamo intagliato più di 6.000 figure.
01:16
And this laterdopo led to a commissioncommissione
by the CityCittà of NewNuovo YorkYork
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In seguito la città di New York
ci ha commissionato
una versione
di 8 metri in acciaio
01:19
to createcreare a 28-foot-piede versionversione in steelacciaio
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01:21
as a permanentpermanente installationinstallazione
at the EagleEagle AcademyAccademia for YoungGiovani MenUomini,
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come installazione fissa
per la Eagle Academy for Young Men,
una scuola per studenti
neri e latinoamericani,
01:24
a schoolscuola for blacknero and latinolatino studentsstudenti,
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01:27
the two groupsgruppi mostmaggior parte affectedinfluenzato
by this historystoria.
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i due gruppi più colpiti da questa storia.
01:30
The samestesso two groupsgruppi are very affectedinfluenzato
by a more recentrecente phenomenonfenomeno,
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Gli stessi due gruppi sono colpiti
da un fenomeno più recente,
01:33
but let me digressdivagando.
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però permettemi una digressione.
01:35
I've been collectingraccolta
woodenin legno AfricanAfricano figuresfigure
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Ho collezionato
statuette di legno africane
da negozi turistici e mercati delle pulci
in giro per il mondo.
01:38
from touristturista shopsnegozi and fleadelle pulci marketsmercati
around the worldmondo.
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01:40
The authenticityautenticità and originorigine
of them is completelycompletamente debatablediscutibile,
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La loro autenticità e origine
sono assolutamente discutibili,
01:43
but people believe these
to be imbuedimbevuta with powerenergia,
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ma le persone credono
che portino buona fortuna,
01:46
or even magicMagia.
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o che siano magiche.
01:47
Only recentlyrecentemente have I figuredfigurato out
how to use this in my ownproprio work.
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Solo recentemente ho capito come
utilizzarle nel mio lavoro.
01:51
(GunPistola shotsscatti)
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(Spari)
02:05
SinceDal 2012, the worldmondo has witnessedassistito
the killingsuccisioni of TrayvonTrayvon MartinMartin,
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A partire dal 2012, il mondo ha visto
l'uccisione di Trayvon Martin,
02:09
MichaelMichael BrownBrown, EricEric GarnerGarner,
SandraSandra BlandBland, TamirTamir RiceRiso
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Michael Brown, Eric Garner,
Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice
02:13
and literallyletteralmente countlessinnumerevole other
unarmeddisarmato blacknero citizenscittadini
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e numerosi altri cittadini neri non armati
02:16
at the handsmani of the policepolizia,
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per mano di poliziotti,
02:17
who frequentlyfrequentemente walkcamminare away
with no punishmentpunizione at all.
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che spesso se la cavano
senza alcuna punizione.
02:20
In considerationconsiderazione of these victimsvittime
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In considerazione di queste vittime
02:22
and the severalparecchi timesvolte that even I,
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e delle volte che io stesso,
02:24
a law-abidingrispettosi della legge, IvyIvy LeagueLega professorProfessore,
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rispettoso della legge,
professore della Ivy League,
02:27
have been targetedmirata and harassedmolestato
at gunpointsotto tiro by the policepolizia.
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sono stato preso di mira e minacciato
con la pistola puntata dalla polizia,
02:30
I createdcreato this bodycorpo of work
simplysemplicemente entitledintitolato "BAMBAM."
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ho creato questa raccolta di lavori
chiamata semplicemente "BAM".
02:36
It was importantimportante to erasecancellare
the identityidentità of eachogni of these figuresfigure,
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Era importante che venisse cancellata
l'identità di ciascuna statuetta,
02:39
to make them all look the samestesso
and easierPiù facile to disregardignorare.
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per farle sembrare uguali,
e più facili da ignorare.
02:43
To do this, I diptuffo them in a thickdenso,
brownMarrone waxcera
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Per questo le ho coperte
con della spessa cera marrone
02:45
before takingpresa them to a shootingtiro rangegamma
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prima di portarle in un poligono
02:47
where I re-sculptedri-scolpito them usingutilizzando bulletselenchi puntati.
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dove le ho riscolpite
utilizzando pallottole.
02:51
And it was fundivertimento,
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Ed è stato divertente,
02:52
playinggiocando with biggrande gunspistole and
high-speedalta velocità videovideo camerasmacchine fotografiche.
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giocare con grosse armi
e videocamere ad alta velocità.
02:55
But my reverenceriverenza for these figuresfigure
kepttenere me from actuallyin realtà pullingtraino the triggergrilletto,
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Ma il mio rispetto per queste statue
mi ha frenato nel premere il grilletto,
02:58
somehowin qualche modo feelingsensazione as if I would
be shootingtiro myselfme stessa.
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mi sentivo come
se sparassi a me stesso.
03:01
FinallyInfine, my cameramancameraman, RaulRaul,
firedlicenziato the shotsscatti.
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Alla fine, il mio cameraman, Raul,
ha sparato i colpi.
03:06
I then tookha preso the fragmentsframmenti of these
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Dopo ho raccolto i frammenti
03:08
and createdcreato moldsstampi,
and castlanciare them first in waxcera,
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e creato stampi
che ho prima riempito con cera,
03:12
and finallyfinalmente in bronzebronzo
like the imageImmagine you see here,
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e poi con bronzo
come nella foto che vedete qui,
03:15
whichquale bearsorsi the marksvotazione
of its violentviolento creationcreazione
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che porta i segni
della creazione violenta
03:18
like battlebattaglia woundsferite or scarscicatrici.
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come ferite da battaglia o cicatrici.
Durante una recente
mostra a Miami
03:20
When I showedha mostrato this work recentlyrecentemente in MiamiMiami,
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2008
una donna mi disse di sentire
ogni sparo nell'anima.
03:22
a womandonna told me she feltprovato
everyogni gunpistola shottiro to her soulanima.
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03:25
But she alsoanche feltprovato that these artworksopere d'arte
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Ma ha anche sentito
che queste opere d'arte
commemoravano le vittime
di queste uccisioni
03:28
memorializedcommemorativo the victimsvittime of these killingsuccisioni
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come anche altre vittime
di violenza razziale
03:30
as well as other victimsvittime of
racialrazziale violenceviolenza throughoutper tutto US historystoria.
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nella storia degli USA.
03:33
But "LotusLotus" and "BAMBAM" are largerpiù grandi
than just US historystoria.
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Ma "Lotus" e "Bam"
vanno oltre la storia americana.
03:36
While showingmostrando in BerlinBerlino last yearanno,
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Lo scorso anno durante
una mostra a Berlino,
03:38
a philosophyfilosofia studentalunno askedchiesto me
what promptedrichiesto these recentrecente killingsuccisioni.
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uno studente di filosofia mi chiese
cosa alimenta queste uccisioni.
03:42
I showedha mostrato him a photofoto
of a lynchinglinciaggio postcardcartolina
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Gli ho mostrato la foto
di una cartolina
raffigurante un linciaggio
di inizio '900
03:44
from the earlypresto 1900s
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03:46
and remindedha ricordato him that these killingsuccisioni
have been going on for over 500 yearsanni.
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e gli ho ricordato che queste uccisioni
sono andate avanti per oltre 500 anni.
03:51
But it's only throughattraverso questionsle domande like his
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Ma è attraverso domande così
03:53
and more thoughtfulriflessivo dialoguedialogo
about historystoria and racegara
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e dialoghi riflessivi
sulla storia e la razza
03:56
can we evolveevolvere as individualsindividui and societysocietà.
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che possiamo evolvere
come individui e società.
03:59
I hopesperanza my artworkopera d'arte createscrea a safesicuro spacespazio
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Spero che le mie opere
offrano un luogo sicuro
04:02
for this typetipo of honestonesto exchangescambio
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per questo tipo di scambi di opinioni
04:05
and an opportunityopportunità for people
to engageimpegnare one anotherun altro
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e un'opportunità per le persone
di impegnarsi tra loro
04:07
in realvero and necessarynecessario conversationconversazione.
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in conversazioni vere e necessarie.
04:10
Thank you.
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Grazie.
04:11
(ApplauseApplausi)
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(Applausi)
Translated by Flavius Ovidiu Abrudan
Reviewed by Carlo Floris

▲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

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