Glenn Ligon: Double America

Neue Nationalgalerie, Potsdamer Straße 50, 10785, Berlin

July 4, 2026 – October 11, 2026

The work ‘Double America’ (2012) consists of two lines: in the upper line, each letter of the word ‘AMERICA’ is turned towards the wall. The second row, on the other hand, shows an exact reflection of the correctly written word. The artist describes the resulting effect as follows: ‘The word “AMERICA” seems to have a shadow, although this shadow does not accurately reflect the word that throws it.’ Glenn Ligon questions too unified images of America in many of his works. His art invites the viewer to engage with the history of the country and the concept of “America” as a whole. A special presentation by the Nationalgalerie – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin as part of the programme initiative ‘We the People’ of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz