I was first introduced to the work of Sanford Biggers in our exhibition Grain of Emptiness: Buddhism-Inspired Contemporary Art. For our installation, we suspended Biggers’ work, Lotus, in the middle of our spiral staircase on the 4th floor.
At the Rubin Museum, the piece worked as a unique installation that casted shadows along the stair, and provided interesting perspectives of a work by Wolfgain Laib (a bright red staircase). The lotus is comprised of a repeated image of the plans for a slave ship. In our space, it was difficult to see these details closely, so I was incredibly excited when I learned that Lotus would be appearing at the Brooklyn Museum for the exhibition, Sanford Biggers: Sweet Funk–An Introspection.
Art takes on a different life when it is placed in an alternative space. In our spiral staircase, Lotus was a heavy object that was magically suspended in space. Our context for the work was unique, and I felt that the image anchored the entire exhibition. At the Brooklyn Museum, Lotus was off to the side, but much more approachable. The proximity to the object allowed for a different type of investigation of the core meanings inherent in the work.
Also fascinating was the placement of the large disk in the gallery. Knowing that Biggers is inspired by Buddhism, I appreciated the careful placement of the giant disk above a geometrically complex section of the marble floor. Placing the disk above a number of triangles within a circle, within a square, created a magnificent three-dimensional Mandala.
Sanford Biggers: Sweet Funk–An Introspectionis open through January 8, 2012 at the Brooklyn Museum.