Five Decades of Drawings by John Biggers
February 2-June 27, 1999
John Biggers, an acclaimed muralist, draftsman, painter, sculptor, inspirational teacher, and Penn State graduate, has been a major figure in American art throughout much of this century. This exhibition highlights drawings from five decades of his career, from the social realist works of the 1940s to the majestic images of African culture in the late 1950s to mural studies completed in the 1980s. Throughout the works, which have been gathered from the artist's private collection and from the collection of the Hampton University Museum, Biggers' pride in his African-American heritage and his indebtedness to the visual traditions of Africa are amply evident. As the noted poet Maya Angelou has suggested, the artist "leads us through his expressions into the discovery of ourselves at our most intimate level. Biggers sees our differences and celebrates them, and in doing so he allows the clans of the world to come together with deliberate respect and respectful appreciation."
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