Untitled (Stranger in the Village/Hands #1): Glenn Ligon

Glenn Ligon's "Stranger in the Village #1" (1990) is a neon artwork that directly quotes James Baldwin's powerful 1953 essay, "Stranger in the Village." The glowing white neon text spells out a key excerpt from Baldwin's reflections on being the first Black man in a small, isolated Swiss village.

The artwork poignantly captures the experience of racial alienation and the psychological impact of being perceived as the perpetual "other." By presenting Baldwin's insightful words in the stark and public medium of neon, Ligon amplifies the text's enduring relevance and forces viewers to confront the persistent realities of racial difference and the burden of otherness. The work is a concise yet potent commentary on identity, perception, and the historical and ongoing complexities of race.

Racism against Black people, Racism in art

English

Prints

The student curator has determined that the use of the following material qualifies as fair use under Section 107 of the Copyright Act for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research.

© 2025 Glenn Ligon

The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection Gift

38.5" x 50"