Sanford Biggers: Codeswitch

Quilt-based exhibition opens at Speed Art Museum on March 18

By Sarah Carter Levitch Photos provided by Speed Art Museum Many of us may be familiar with quilts, whether given by our grandmother or as a family heirloom. What we may not stop to think about when we’re cuddled up under one is how the quilt’s meaning has constantly evolved from the moment it was made. The concept artist Sanford Biggers explores in his solo exhibition, Codeswitch. Curator of the exhibit, Scott Erbes, expanded, “Biggers thinks about quilts as often having associations with family, the body and memory, recognizing that though he begins with a historical object, they take on different meanings over time. He’s described himself as a late collaborator by adding his take on these historical objects and reorienting them in the present.” A distinguished and recognized artist based in New York City, Erbes expressed that, “Biggers work is an interplay of narrative, perspective and history that speaks to current social, political and economic happenings while also examining the contexts that bore them. His diverse practice positions him as a collaborator with the past through explorations of often-overlooked cultural and political narratives from American history.” Biggers also serves as a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “which speaks to his thoughtful, intellectual and almost academic approach to the kind of work he creates,” added Erbes. Biggers’ intellectual nature comes across immediately in the title, Codeswitch, which takes on a dual meaning. “Code-switching is associated with linguistics and the idea that language, as it’s expressed, takes on different meanings and contexts for different audiences. That’s true of objects too. The title also plays on the word codex, which is an old term to refer to a set of rules or laws. Sanford thinks about this visually. He has a codex of imagery and symbols he’s developed within his artistic practice over the years that appear in his work fairly consistently in different ways,” noted Erbes. One particular work, Quilt 35 (Vex), was inspired by Buddhism’s iconography and visual cosmology. Erbes shared, “In the upper left, Biggers added this stylized lotus blossom with rays emanating out, which is taken from Buddhist iconography and cosmology. You see this Buddhist-inspired intervention on a number of pieces in this exhibition, which speaks to how deep and resonant quilts can be historically in the American context. Yet, you can overlay that with another set of iconography with a deep history, giving both a new interpretation and meaning. American quilts are grounded in geometric forms, often incorporating references to cosmological imagery, so he’s playing with that.” The Speed will be doing a parallel installation of historic quilts donated by Eleanor Bingham Miller, creating a dialogue between Biggers’ contemporary take and the earlier period quilts, several of which were made in Kentucky. Though indeed intellectually stimulating, Codeswitch is sure to provide sensory pleasure. As Erbes confessed, “the work is wonderful to look at too.” Codeswitch will run from March 18 through June 26, 2022 at the Speed Art Museum, consisting of thirty three quilt based works and two video works. For more information, visit speedmuseum.org/exhibitions/sanford-biggers-codeswitch Speed Art Museum 2035 S 3rd St. Louisville, KY 40208 502.634.2700 speedmuseum.org