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

Senford Bigers (Sanford Biggers): Neustrašivi pogled jednog umetnika na rasno nasilje

Filmed:
1,158,104 views

Konceptualni umetnik i član TED Fellow programa, Senford Bigers, koristi slikarstvo, skulpturu, video zapise i performanse kako bi podstakao izazovne razgovore o istoriji i traumi crnačke Amerike. Pridružite mu se dok iznosi detalje o dva uverljiva dela i motivaciju u osnovi svoje umetnosti. „Samo kroz promišljeniji dijalog o istoriji i rasi možemo se razvijati kao pojedinci i društvo“, kaže Bigers.
- 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 conceptualконцептуално artistуметник,
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Kao konceptualni umetnik,
00:14
I'm constantlyстално looking for creativeкреативан waysначини
to sparkiskra challengingизазован conversationsразговоре.
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stalno tragam za kreativnim načinima
da podstaknem izazovne razgovore.
To činim kroz slikarstvo, skulpture,
video zapise i performans.
00:18
I do this thoughипак paintingсликарство, sculptureскулптура,
videoвидео and performanceперформансе.
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00:22
But regardlessбез обзира of the formatформату,
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Ipak, bez obzira na format,
00:23
two of my favoriteомиљени materialsматеријали
are historyисторија and dialogueдијалог.
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dva moja omiljena materijala
su istorija i dijalog.
00:27
In 2007, I createdстворено "LotusLotus,"
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Godine 2007. stvorio sam „Lotosa“,
00:30
a seven-and-a-half-footsedam i po stopa diameterпречник,
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2,3 metara u prečniku,
00:32
600-pound-пун glassстакло depictionopisa
of a lotusлотус blossomcvet.
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270 kg težine staklenog prikaza
lotosovog cveta.
00:35
In BuddhismBudizam, the lotusлотус is a symbolсимбол
for transcendencetranscendencija
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U budizmu, lotos predstavlja
simbol transcedentnosti
00:39
and for puritynevinosti of mindум and spiritдух.
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i čistoće uma i duha.
Međutim, sagledavanje ovog lotosa izbliza
00:41
But a closerближе look at this lotusлотус
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00:44
revealsotkriva eachсваки petallatica
to be the cross-sectionpresjeka of a slaveРоб shipброд.
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otkriva da svaka latica predstavlja
poprečni presek broda sa robovima.
00:47
This iconiclegendarne diagramдијаграм was takenузети
from a BritishBritanski slavingrobujuжi manualупутство
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Ovaj čuveni dijagram je preuzet
iz britanskog priručnika za robovlasnike
00:51
and laterкасније used by abolitionistsabolicionistima to showсхов
the atrocitieszločinima of slaveryропство.
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i kasnije su ga koristili abolicionisti
da prikažu strahote ropstva.
00:56
In AmericaAmerika, we don't like
to talk about slaveryропство,
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U Americi ne volimo da govorimo o ropstvu,
00:58
norнити do we look at it as a globalглобално industryиндустрија.
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niti ga posmatramo
kao globalnu industriju.
Ipak, pomoću ovog budističkog simbola,
01:01
But by usingКористећи this BuddhistBudistički symbolсимбол,
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01:03
I hopeнадати се to universalizeuniversalize and transcendнадмашити
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nadam se da učinim univerzalnim
i postignem prevazilaženje
01:05
the historyисторија and traumatraume of blackцрн AmericaAmerika
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istorije i traume crne Amerike
01:08
and encourageохрабрити discussionsдискусије
about our sharedдељени pastпрошлост.
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i podstaknem diskusije
o našoj zajedničkoj prošlosti.
01:12
To createстворити "LotusLotus,"
we carvedUrezao over 6,000 figuresфигуре.
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Da bismo stvorili „Lotos“,
izgravirali smo preko 6 000 figura.
Ovo je kasnije dovelo do porudžbine
od strane grada Njujorka
01:16
And this laterкасније led to a commissionпровизија
by the CityGrad of NewNovi YorkYork
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01:19
to createстворити a 28-foot- Срање versionверзија in steelчелик
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da se napravi verzija
od 7,6 metara u čeliku
01:21
as a permanentстални installationинсталација
at the EagleOrao AcademyAkademija for YoungMladi MenLjudi,
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kao stalna instalacija
akademije za mladiće Igl,
01:24
a schoolшкола for blackцрн and latinoлатино studentsстуденти,
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škole za crnačke i latinoameričke učenike,
01:27
the two groupsгрупе mostнајвише affectedутицало, дјеловало
by this historyисторија.
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dve grupe koje je ova istorija
najviše pogodila.
01:30
The sameисти two groupsгрупе are very affectedутицало, дјеловало
by a more recentскорашњи phenomenonфеномен,
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Iste dve grupe su pod velikim uticajem
jedne skorije pojave,
01:33
but let me digressskrenem teme.
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ali dopustite da napravim digresiju.
01:35
I've been collectingприкупљање
woodendrveni AfricanAfrički figuresфигуре
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Prikupljao sam drvene afričke figure
iz turističkih radnji
i sa buvljih pijaca širom sveta.
01:38
from touristтуристички shopsпродавнице and fleabuva marketsтржишта
around the worldсвет.
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01:40
The authenticityautentičnost and originпорекло
of them is completelyу потпуности debatableдискутабилно,
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Njihova autentičnost i poreklo
su sasvim pod znakom pitanja,
01:43
but people believe these
to be imbuedпрожет with powerмоћ,
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ali ljudi veruju da ih prožima moć,
01:46
or even magicмагија.
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pa čak i magija.
01:47
Only recentlyнедавно have I figuredфигуред out
how to use this in my ownвластити work.
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Tek nedavno sam našao način
kako da ovo iskoristim u svom radu.
01:51
(GunPištolj shotsснимке)
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(Pucnji pištolja)
02:05
SinceOd 2012, the worldсвет has witnessedсведок
the killingsubistva of TrayvonTrejvona MartinMartin,
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Od 2012. godine, svet je bio svedok
ubistava Trejvona Martina,
02:09
MichaelMichael BrownBrown, EricEric GarnerGarner,
SandraSandra BlandBlend, TamirTamir RiceRajs
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Majkla Brauna, Erika Garnera,
Sandre Blend, Tamira Rajsa
02:13
and literallyбуквално countlessбезброј other
unarmednenaoružani blackцрн citizensГрађани
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i bukvalno bezbroj drugih
nenaoružanih građana crne rase
02:16
at the handsруке of the policeполиција,
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koje je počinila policija,
02:17
who frequentlyчесто walkходати away
with no punishmentказна at all.
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pri čemu bi se ona često izvukla
bez ikakve kazne.
02:20
In considerationразматрање of these victimsжртве
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Radi uvažavanja ovih žrtava
i nekoliko situacija
u kojima sam čak i ja,
02:22
and the severalнеколико timesпута that even I,
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profesor cenjenog univerziteta
koji se pridržava zakona,
02:24
a law-abidingpoštenim, IvyIvy LeagueLiga professorпрофесор,
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02:27
have been targetedциљани and harasseduznemiravala
at gunpointupotrebom sile by the policeполиција.
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bio meta maltretiranja policije
pod pretnjom oružjem.
02:30
I createdстворено this bodyтело of work
simplyједноставно entitledимају право "BAMBAM."
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Stvorio sam ovaj opus
jednostavno nazvan „BAM“.
02:36
It was importantважно to eraseизбрисати
the identityидентитет of eachсваки of these figuresфигуре,
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Bilo je važno izbrisati identitet
svake od ovih figura,
02:39
to make them all look the sameисти
and easierлакше to disregardzanemariti.
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učiniti da izgledaju isto
i da bude lakše ne pridavati im značaj.
Da bih to postigao,
umočio sam ih u debeli braon vosak
02:43
To do this, I dipumak them in a thickдебео,
brownбраон waxvosak
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02:45
before takingузимајући them to a shootingпуцање rangeдомет
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pre nego što sam ih odneo na strelište
02:47
where I re-sculptedponovo izvajao them usingКористећи bulletsMeci.
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gde sam im izmenio oblik mecima.
02:51
And it was funзабавно,
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Bilo je zabavno
02:52
playingиграње with bigвелики gunsоружје and
high-speedбрзи videoвидео camerasкамере.
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igrati se velikim oružjem
i kamerama za usporeno snimanje.
Ipak, moje poštovanje prema ovim figurama
sprečavalo me je da zaista povučem okidač,
02:55
But my reverenceSvetosti for these figuresфигуре
keptчува me from actuallyзаправо pullingповлачење the triggerтриггер,
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02:58
somehowнекако feelingОсећај as if I would
be shootingпуцање myselfЈа сам.
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jer sam se nekako osećao
kao da bih pucao na samog sebe.
03:01
FinallyKonačno, my cameramankamerman, RaulRaul,
firedотпуштен the shotsснимке.
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Na kraju je moj kamerman Raul pucao.
03:06
I then tookузела the fragmentsфрагменти of these
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Zatim sam uzeo ostatke ovih figura,
03:08
and createdстворено moldskalupi,
and castцаст them first in waxvosak,
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napravio kalupe i izlio ih najpre u vosku,
03:12
and finallyконачно in bronzebronzanu medalju
like the imageслика you see here,
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a na kraju u bronzi,
kao na prikazu koju ovde vidite,
koji nosi tragove svog nasilnog stvaranja
03:15
whichкоја bearsмедведи the marksоцене
of its violentнасилан creationстварање
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03:18
like battleбитка woundsране or scarsожиљци.
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poput bojnih rana ili ožiljaka.
Kada sam nedavno pokazao
ovaj rad u Majamiju,
03:20
When I showedпоказао this work recentlyнедавно in MiamiMiami,
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jedna žena mi je rekla da je osetila
svaki pucanj na svojoj duši.
03:22
a womanжена told me she feltосетио
everyсваки gunпиштољ shotпуцањ to her soulдушу.
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Takođe je osetila da ovakva umetnička dela
03:25
But she alsoтакође feltосетио that these artworksradovima
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03:28
memorializedmemorisano the victimsжртве of these killingsubistva
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odaju počast žrtvama tih ubijanja,
03:30
as well as other victimsжртве of
racialрасни violenceнасиље throughoutтоком US historyисторија.
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kao i drugim žrtvama rasnog nasilja
kroz čitavu istoriju SAD-a.
Međutim, „Lotos“ i „BAM“
predstavljaju više od istorije SAD-a.
03:33
But "LotusLotus" and "BAMBAM" are largerвеће
than just US historyисторија.
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Kada sam ih prikazivao
prošle godine u Berlinu,
03:36
While showingпоказивање in BerlinBerlin last yearгодине,
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03:38
a philosophyфилозофија studentученик askedпитао me
what promptedупитано these recentскорашњи killingsubistva.
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student filozofije me je upitao
šta je podstaklo na ta nedavna ubistva.
03:42
I showedпоказао him a photoфотографија
of a lynchingLinč postcardразгледница
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Pokazao sam mu fotografiju
razglednice sa linčovanjem
03:44
from the earlyрано 1900s
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iz ranih 1900-ih godina
03:46
and remindedподсетио him that these killingsubistva
have been going on for over 500 yearsгодине.
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i podsetio ga da se ta ubijanja
odvijaju već preko 500 godina.
03:51
But it's only throughкроз questionsпитања like his
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Ipak, samo kroz pitanja poput njegovog
i promišljeniji dijalog o istoriji i rasi
03:53
and more thoughtfulпажљив dialogueдијалог
about historyисторија and raceтрка
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03:56
can we evolveеволуирати as individualsпојединци and societyдруштво.
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možemo se razviti kao pojedinci i društvo.
03:59
I hopeнадати се my artworkуметничко дело createsствара a safeсигурно spaceпростор
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Nadam se da će moj umetnički rad
stvoriti siguran prostor
04:02
for this typeтип of honestпоштен exchangeразмена
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za tu vrstu iskrene razmene
04:05
and an opportunityприлика for people
to engageангажовати one anotherдруги
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i priliku da se ljudi međusobno aktiviraju
04:07
in realправи and necessaryнеопходно conversationразговор.
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u pravom i neophodnom razgovoru.
04:10
Thank you.
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Hvala.
04:11
(ApplauseAplauz)
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(Aplauz)
Translated by Ivana Krivokuća
Reviewed by Tijana Mihajlović

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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