Glenn Ligon
Untitled (America)

• Can you tell what this artwork says? How does it make you feel to see the word “America” upside down? What message or information might the artist want to communicate by placing the letters in this way?
• Why do you think the artist chose the color red for this artwork? What do you associate with the color red? How could you connect the color red with America?

Glowing in red neon, “AMERICA” beckons the viewer, much like our country which has often served as a beacon of hope for many around the world. However, by coating the front of the tubes in black paint and inverting the word, Glenn Ligon acknowledges that the United States also embodies negative associations tied to dark histories and continuing acts of oppression. Sporadically flashing off and on, Ligon’s work visualizes his observation that for many, “America, for all its dark deeds, is still this shining light.”

• This artwork is made of neon lights. The lights flash on and off at uneven intervals. What message could this uneven flashing light carry? How does this tell America’s story?
• Why is equality important in the United States? Are all Americans treated equally?