Sanford Biggers (U.S.A., b. 1970), Afropick, 2005. Woodcut. Modern and Contemporary Art Fund, 2018.108
Sanford Biggers (U.S.A., b. 1970) builds fantastical composite art objects, or creates images of them, to explore ideas born out of encounters between different cultures. The roughly six-foot-tall woodcut Afropick is the product of two traditions familiar to Biggers: African American political identity and Japanese printmaking. It explores and reinforces connections between race, the body, and political self-determination.
The hair pick at the center of Biggers’ print is a biomorphic tool. Topped by a fist clenched in a Black Power salute, the lower half extends downward into dangling, organic tendrils resembling tree roots or locked hair. His use of the clenched fist symbol in 2005 speaks not just to its history but also to its enduring legibility in the ongoing struggle for racial equality in America.
The Cantor is open to the public, Wednesdays–Sundays 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. We’re always free. Advance registration is not required, but it helps us plan if we know who's coming.
The Cantor Arts Center is located at the intersection of Museum Way and Lomita Drive in the heart of the arts district on the Stanford campus. The Cantor faces the Bing Concert Hall across Palm Drive, northwest of The Oval and the Main Quad.
Parking is limited. Stanford has a new contactless process to pay for parking, using the ParkMobile app, website, or phone. Prior to your visit, we recommend you visit the Stanford Transportation website to learn more about the updated visitor parking process.
