Janet Biggs

From September 2024 to January 2025, Janet Biggs participated in the CyberArts Exhibit at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia. This exhibition, organized by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, explores the intersection of cybersecurity and art, and features Biggs’ work alongside other artists engaging with technology and digital culture.{{Cite web |title=Janet Biggs - News |url=https://www.cristintierney.com/artists/35-janet-biggs/news/ |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Cristin Tierney |language=en}}

In August, 2024, Biggs presented the video installation "Contra Naturam" at the ICEHOUSE Project Space in Sharon, Connecticut.{{cite press release |author= |title=Contra Naturam, a collaborative project by Janet Biggs and Davian Robinson |url=https://www.k2kozik.com/_files/ugd/d981d6_925c5d04f958480ca75183b424af6d78.pdf |location=Sharon, Connecticut |publisher=ICEHOUSE Project Space |date=August 1, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024}} This work, a collaboration with sight-impaired dancer Davian Robinson, is a three-channel video installation installed in a 10'x'10' icehouse. The piece, incorporating dancing by Robinson with images of ice boat racing, was created in response to Sharon native William F. Buckley's opinion that the blind should not be exposed to culture or nature.{{cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Leora |date=August 9, 2024 |title=Contra Naturam at ICEHOUSE Project Space |url=https://mainstreetmag.com/contra-naturam-at-icehouse-project-space/ |work=Mainstreet Magazine |location=Acramdale, NY |access-date=August 29, 2024}}

Biggs' work was presented at the 2021 Armory Show, Javits Center, New York City, from 9–12 September 2021. Her work was shown at a solo booth as part of "Focus", curated by Wassan Al-Khudhairi.{{cite web

|url=https://www.cristintierney.com/art-fairs/31/press_release/

|title=The Armory Show

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|date=September 9, 2021

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|publisher=Cristin Tierney Gallery

|access-date=August 27, 2024

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In addition to videos, Biggs' work includes multi-discipline performances, using videos, live music, actors, and artificial intelligence. Her newest work incorporates footage shot by Biggs at refugee camps in Djibouti, in Ethiopian badlands, and at Mars simulations in Utah and the Himalayas. She has trained in space medicine,{{cite web

|url=https://www.sarahjanepell.com/maunepal2019.html

|title=MAU-Nepal 001, Mars Medical Mission Analogue, Kagbenni, NL 2019

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|date=March 15, 2019

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|publisher=Sarah Jane Pell

|access-date=August 27, 2024

|quote=}} equestrian vaulting and arctic kayaking.{{cite web

|url=https://dailyorange.com/2024/02/janet-biggs-exhibit/

|title=Janet Bigg's newest exhibit takes viewers on an Arctic expedition

|last=Roberts

|first=Dayna

|date=February 2024

|magazine=The Daily Orange

|access-date=August 27, 2024

}}

Beginning in 2020, Biggs, mathematician Agnieszka Międlar, and physicist Daniel Tapia Takaki, who leads the University of Kansas's (KU) team for the ALICE collaboration at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC),{{cite web

|url=https://news.ku.edu/news/article/2020/10/29/ku-joins-alice-project-large-hadron-collider-new-funding-department-energy

|title=KU joins ALICE project at Large Hadron Collider with new funding from Department of Energy

|last=

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|date=October 10, 2020

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|publisher=The University of Kansas

|access-date=August 23, 2024

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collaborated on projects to explore questions in high energy physics, applying novel mathematical techniques to the production of video and performance. This group is a collaboration between Arts at CERN,{{cite web

|url=https://arts.cern/article/collective-entanglements-opens-spencer-museum-art

|title=Collective Entanglements opens at the Spencer Museum of Art

|last=

|first=

|date=April 22, 2022

|website=

|publisher=Arts at CERN

|access-date=August 27, 2024

|quote=}} the official arts program of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Integrated Arts Research Initiative (IARI) at the Spencer Museum of Art. Their collaborative project was described in "How to Do Things with SVD: Mathematical Tool-Sharing from Physics to Performative Research," published in the journal Leonardo, published by MIT Press.{{cite journal|url=https://direct.mit.edu/leon/article-abstract/55/5/535/112367/How-to-Do-Things-with-SVD-Mathematical-Tool

|title=How to Do Things with SVD: Mathematical Tool-Sharing from Physics to Performative Research

|journal=Leonardo

|volume=55

|issue=5

|pages=535-540

|last=Orr

|first=Joey

|date=October 1, 2022

|website=

|publisher=MIT Press

|access-date=August 24, 2024

}}

On April 8, 2021 Biggs presented a livestream performance, "Singular Value Decomposition," emerging from this collaboration. {{cite web

|url=https://today.ku.edu/2021/03/31/ku-researchers-students-collaborate-artists-and-cern-livestream-performance-april-8

|title=KU Researches, Students Collaborate with Artist and CERN on Livestream Performance

|last=

|first=

|date=March 31, 2021

|website=

|publisher=The University of Kansas

|access-date=April 9, 2021

|quote=}}{{cite web

|url=https://math.ku.edu/news/article/2021/03/31/agnieszka-miedlar-collaborates-artists-and-cern-live-stream-performance

|title=Agnieszka Miedlar Collaborates with Artists and CERN on Live Stream Performance

|last=

|first=

|date=March 31, 2021

|website=

|publisher=The University of Kansas Department of Mathematics

|access-date=August 24, 2024

|quote=}}

This collaborative team went on to create an innovative video installation, titled "Collective Entanglements," which was presented at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas (KU) in April, 2022.{{cite web

|url=https://www.spencerart.ku.edu/iari/inquiries/collective-entanglements#Exhibition

|title=Collective Entanglements

|last=

|first=

|date=April 21, 2022

|website=

|publisher=The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas (KU)

|access-date=August 24, 2024

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On 30 July 2020, Biggs created an experimental live online performance at Fridman Gallery in New York City. While Biggs directed remotely, singer and dancer Mary Esther Carter performed, accompanied by an Artificial intelligence entity named A.I. Anne, which was created by composer and music technologist Richard Savery.{{cite news|url=https://www.fridmanlive.com/concerts-and-performances/Janet-Biggs-%2F-Mary-Esther-Carter-%2F-Richard-Savery-%2F-A.I.-Anne |title=Augmentation and Amplification: Janet Biggs / Mary Esther Carter / Richard Savery / A.I. Anne. |work=Boca Raton Museum of Art |date=2020-07-30 |accessdate=2020-08-12 }} Also in July 2020, the Boca Raton Museum of Art presented a new installation by Biggs, "Solitary Acts."{{cite news|url=https://bocamuseum.org/about/news/press-release/presenting-new-video-art-installation-solitary-acts-janet-biggs |title=Presenting New Video Art Installation: Solitary Acts by Janet Biggs. |work=Boca Raton Museum of Art |date=2020-07-14 |accessdate=2020-08-12 }}

In June 2019, Biggs presented 'Overview Effect', an exhibition of new video work, at the Cristin Tierney Gallery in New York City.

{{cite web

|url=https://www.cristintierney.com/exhibitions/14-janet-biggs-overview-effect/cover/

|title=Janet Biggs: Overview Effect

|last=

|first=

|date=June 6, 2019

|website=

|publisher=Cristin Tierney Gallery

|access-date=April 9, 2021

|quote=}} As part of this exhibition, Biggs' premiered "How the Light Gets In," a multi-media performance, at the Theater at the New Museum.{{cite web

|url=http://www.jbiggs.com/performance/How-the-Light/index.htm

|title=Janet Biggs: How the Light Gets In

|last=

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|date=July 18, 2019

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|access-date=April 9, 2021

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In December, 2018, Biggs had solo exhibitions and film screenings at the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre and the Museum of Science and the Cosmos in the Canary Islands.{{cite news

| title = Instalaciones audiovisuales "Like Walking on Mars", Janet Biggs

| work = Museos de Tenerife

| date = November 14, 2018

| url = https://www.museosdetenerife.org/museos-de-tenerife/editorial/686

}}

In May 2018, Biggs was included in "Shots Across the Plane," at the Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art in Tbilisi, Georgia.{{cite news

| title = Shots Across the Plane, curated by Jeremy Gales and Nino Macharashvili

| work = Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art

| date = May 28, 2018

| url = https://www.facebook.com/events/1926879954309196/}}

In 2017, the Neuberger Museum of Art (Purchase, New York) presented "A Step on the Sun."{{cite news

| title = Janet Biggs: A Step On the Sun

| work = Neuberger Museum

| date = September 2017

| url = https://www.neuberger.org/exhibitions/past/view1/389.html

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190413185125/https://www.neuberger.org/exhibitions/past/view1/389.html

| archive-date = 2019-04-13

| url-status = dead

}}

Biggs' work has been presented in shows at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (June, 2018),{{cite press release |title=A Journey to Freedom |url=https://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/whats_on/newsselect/2018articles/a_journey_to_freedom |date=June 8, 2018 |access-date=2019-04-13}} the 17º Festival Internacional de la Imagen {{cite web |date=April 7, 2004 |title=Janet Biggs|url=https://festivaldelaimagen.com/en/portfolio-item/janet-biggs/ |accessdate=27 August 2024}}(group exhibition as part of art + tech festival) in Manizales Colombia, "Art & Coal" (Kunst & Kohle),{{cite book |last=Apfelbaum |first=Alexandra |author-link= |date= 2018|title=The battle of coal: Arbeiterskulpturen |url=https://katalog.skd.museum/Record/0-1581262264/Description?lng=en |location= |publisher=Köln Wienand |isbn=9783868324693}} a group exhibition spanning 17 museums in the Ruhr Valley), at the Skulpturenmuseum Glaskasten Marl in Marl, Germany, "For a gentle song would not shake us if we had never heard a loud one" at the Fotografisk Center, Copenhagen, Denmark. {{cite press release |author= |title=For a gentle song would not shake us if we had never heard a loud one |url=https://www.fotografiskcenter.dk/en/exhibition/gentle-song-would-not-shake-us-if-we-had-never-heard-loud-one |location=Copenhagen, Denmark |publisher=Fotografisk Center |agency= |date=March 24, 2018 |access-date=2024-08-27}} and "Videos for a Stadium" at the University of Kentucky Art Museum (screening at the Commonwealth Stadium at University of Kentucky) Lexington, KY.{{cite news |last=Copley |first=Rich |date= |title=Play videos! UK museum brings art to Commonwealth's big screen |url=https://www.kentucky.com/entertainment/visual-arts/article142814784.html |work=Lexington Herald Leader |location=Lexington, KY |access-date=August 27, 2024}}

Biggs was selected to be on Crew 181 of the Mars Desert Research Station, and has incorporated elements of space exploration in several of her latest works.{{cite web |url=http://mdrs2016.marssociety.org/crew-181/index.html |title=Crew 181 - Mars Desert Research Station |last= |first= |date=15 Jun 2017 |website= |publisher=The Mars Society |access-date=27 Aug 2024 |quote=}}

Biggs has exhibited in solo shows and screenings at Cristin Tierney Gallery in New York City,{{cite web |url=https://www.cristintierney.com/artists/35-janet-biggs/cover/ |title=Janet Biggs |author= |website= |publisher=Cristin Tierney Gallery |access-date=August 27, 2024 |quote=}} Connersmith Gallery in Washington, DC,{{cite web |url=https://www.connersmith.us.com/artists/janet-biggs |title=Janet Biggs |author= |date=March 3, 2024 |website= |publisher=CONNERSMITH Gallery |access-date=August 27, 2024 |quote=}} Barbara Polla's Analix Forever Gallery in Geneva,{{cite web |url=https://analixforever.com/janet-biggs-1 |title=Janet Biggs |author= |date=March 3, 2024 |website= |publisher=Galerie Analix Forever |access-date=August 27, 2024 |quote=}} Smack Mellon in Brooklyn NY,{{cite press release |author= |title=Janet Biggs / Aude Moreau |url=https://www.smackmellon.org/exhibition/janet-biggs-aude-moreau/ |location=Brooklyn, NY |publisher=Smack Mellon |agency= |date=March 8, 2019 |access-date=2024-08-27}} and Galerie Anita Beckers in Frankfurt Germany.{{cite web

|url=https://blinkvideo.de/?scope=artists&id=21

|title=Janet Biggs at blinkvideo mediaart at Anita Beckers Gallery

|last=

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|publisher=

|access-date=April 9, 2021

|quote=}}

In June 2017, at David Lynch's Club Silencio in Paris, Biggs presented her performance piece, "Far From Home," which incorporated a live musical performance by Rhys Chatham and a reading by Frank Smith with video of her work in a Yemeni refugee camp in Djibouti and at the Mars Desert Research Station.{{cite web |url=https://rhyschatham.net/calendar/2017-2/ |title=2017 Performances |last=Chatham |first=Rhys |date=February 2018 |website=www.rhyschatham.net: Rhys Chatham music and projects |publisher=Rhys Chatham |access-date=August 27, 2024 |quote=}}

In 2015, the Blaffer Art Museum in Houston, Texas, presented Biggs' Echo of the Unknown, a multidimensional exhibition combining video, sound, and objects that explore the role of memory in the construction of identity. In conjunction with Echo of the Unknown, Blaffer collaborated with more than a dozen UH colleges and Houston institutions on the Blaffer Art Museum Innovation Series, an ambitious slate of lectures, gallery talks and panel discussions, enhancing the exhibition's role as a catalyst for cross-disciplinary learning.{{cite press release |author= |title=Janet Biggs: Echo of the Unknown |url=https://blafferartmuseum.org/janet-biggs-echo-of-the-unknown/ |location=Houston, TX |publisher=Blaffer Art Museum, University of Texas |date=June 13, 2016 |access-date=2024-08-27}}

In 2014 Biggs was exhibited in the First International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Cartagena de Indias.

{{cite news

| title = Over 16,000 People Attend Opening Weekend of 1st International Contemporary Art Biennial in Cartagena

| work = Artworld.com

| date = February 19, 2014

| url = http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwart/article/Over-16000-People-Attend-Opening-Weekend-of-1st-International-Contemporary-Art-Biennial-in-Cartagena-20140219#.UyX2l16PUqc

}}

The Tampa Museum of Art presented a survey of Biggs' work in 2011.{{cite news |last=Bennett |first=Lennie |date=October 23, 2011 |title=Fine Art That Moves: In A Midlife Review of Artist Janet Biggs' Video Work, Conjecture is a Key to Comparison.

|url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2011/10/23/fine-art-that-moves/ |work=Tampa Bay News |location=Tampa, Florida |access-date=August 27, 2024}} Biggs' video work has also been shown in solo exhibitions at Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal,{{cite press release |last=Johnstone |first=Leslie |date=August 2, 2012 |title=Janet Biggs |url=https://macm.org/en/exhibitions/janet-biggs/ |location=Montreal, Canada |publisher=Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal |access-date=2024-08-27}} Glaskasten Marl Sculpture Museum (Marl, Germany), the Mint Museum (Charlotte NC),{{cite press release |author= |title=The Mint Museum Presents Works by Video Artist Janet Biggs |url=https://www.mintmuseum.org/the-mint-museum-presents-works-by-video-artist-janet-biggs/ |location=Charlotte, NC |publisher=The Mint Museum |date=October 26, 2010 |access-date=2024-08-27}}{{cite web |date=5 November 2010 |title=Q & A with Janet Biggs |url=http://www.charlottemagazine.com/Blogs/Revue/November-2010/Q-amp-A-with-Janet-Biggs/ |accessdate=3 March 2016}} the Gibbes Museum of Art (Charlotte, NC),{{cite press release |author= |title=Like Tears in Rain |url=https://www.charlestoncvb.com/events/like-tears-in-rain~4070/ |location=Charleston, SC |publisher=Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau |date=May 4, 2007 |access-date=2024-08-27}} the McNay Museum (San Antonio, Texas), the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art (Ithaca, NY), Videonale 13 (Bonn, Germany) and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. In 2012, Biggs' Arctic Trilogy was screened as part of the Environmental Film Festival at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC).{{cite press release |author= |title=Spring 2012 Film Schedule |url=https://hirshhorn.si.edu/explore/spring-2012-film-schedule/ |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden |date=February 27, 2012 |access-date=2024-08-27}}

Biggs travelled to the far Arctic in 2009-2010, where she captured images of individuals' interaction with extremes environments above and below the ice. Biggs used this footage to create three videos, "The Arctic Trilogy." These videos were premiered at Ed Winkleman Gallery in Chelsea (New York City) in February 2011.{{cite press release |author= |title=Winkleman Gallery is very pleased to present The Arctic Trilogy, our first solo exhibition by New York artist Janet Biggs |url=https://www.mutualart.com/Article/Opening-Tonight--Janet-Biggs---The-Arcti/E346752DC626AF66 |location=New York, NY |publisher=Winkleman Gallery |agency=MutualArt |date=February 11, 2011 |access-date=2024-08-27}} This show was reviewed in the New York Times by Holland Carter.{{cite news

| last = Carter

| first = Holland

| title = JANET BIGGS: 'The Arctic Trilogy'

| work = New York Times

| pages = C29

| date = February 18, 2011

| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/arts/design/18galleries-JANETBIGGS_RVW.html

| accessdate = 2011-02-18 }}

On July 14, 2009, Vanishing Point was screened at New York's River To River Festival. That same evening, Biggs' videos accompanied an ambient performance by Anthony Gonzalez of the band M83.{{cite press release |author= |title=River to River Festival 2009 Schedule of Events |url=https://www.nycfreeconcerts.com/2009/05/05/river-to-river-festival-2009-schedule-of-events/ |location=New York City |publisher= |agency= |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=2024-08-27}}

Biggs was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Fine Arts in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/janet-biggs/|title=Janet Biggs|website=John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation|access-date=April 14, 2018}}

In 2016, Biggs was selected by Lynn Hershman Leeson as part of ArtReview magazine's "Future Greats - the artists to look out for in 2016." Also in 2016, Biggs was named a Distinguished Alumni at Moore College of Art and Design.{{Cite web|url=https://moore.edu/about-moore/blog-publications/blog/distinguished-alumna-janet-biggs-81-wins-a-guggenheim-fellowship|title=Distinguished Alumna Janet Biggs '81 Wins A Guggenheim Fellowship|date=April 30, 2018|website=Moore College of Art and Design Website|access-date=April 16, 2018}}

The October 2015 Art In America featured an article written by Faye Hirsch on Biggs' work, with a focus on the Blaffer exhibition.{{cite news

| last = Hirsch

| first = Faye

| title = A Crystal Grotto

| work = Art in America

| pages = 88–95

| date = October 2015

| url = http://jbiggs.com/articles/AiA-Oct15.pdf

| access-date = 2016-01-11

| archive-date = 2016-03-14

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160314080039/http://www.jbiggs.com/articles/AiA-Oct15.pdf

| url-status = dead

}}

ArtNew's April 2015 cover article "Art Made in Harm's Way" by Lily Wei featured Biggs' travels to Ethiopia's border conflict, where she filmed local Afar militia as they patrolled the Ethiopian/Eritrean border.{{cite news

| last = Wei

| first = Lily

| title = Art Made in Harm's Way

| work = ArtNews

| pages = 6

| date = April 2015

| url = http://www.artnews.com/2015/04/07/art-made-in-harms-way/

}}

In 2013 Biggs was awarded a la Napoule Art Foundation Riviera Residency,{{cite web |url=https://www.lnaf.org/residencies/residency-alumni/ |title=Residency Alumni |author= |date= |website= |publisher=La Napoule Art Foundation |access-date= |quote=}} and in 2009 and 2010 she was selected for The Arctic Circle High Arctic Expedition residency.{{cite web |url=https://thearcticcircle.org/participants/ |title=Participants |author= |date= |website= |publisher=The Arctic Circle |access-date= |quote=}} She received an Art Matters Project grant in 2010. Janet Biggs was a recipient of a New York State Council on the Arts grant in 2011 and 2009 through the New York Experimental Television Center.{{cite report |url=https://www.nysca.org/grant_app/org_search.cfm?search_type=op&org_id=255&projfy=2010 |publisher=New York State Council of the Arts |title=Grant Awardees |access-date= }} She has received additional funding grants from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte and the Goodrich Foundation. In 2004 she received the Anonymous Was a Woman fellowship,{{cite news

| title = Anonymous Was a Woman Awards 10 Women Artists with $25,000 Grants

| work =Absolute Arts

| date =January 11, 2005

| url =http://www.absolutearts.com/artsnews/2004/12/22/32626.html

| accessdate = 2008-01-19 }} and received a painting fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989.{{cite report|url=https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/NEA-Annual-Report-1989.pdf |date=July 1990 |title=National Endowment for the Arts |location=Alexandria, Virginia |publisher=Office of Public Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts |page=188}}

Contemporary Magazine profiled Biggs in their March 2007 issue.{{cite news

| last = Byrd

| first = Cathy

| title = Janet Biggs

| work = Contemporary

| pages = 48–49

| language = en

| date =March 2007

| url =http://www.jbiggs.com/articles/Contemporary_No_90_2007.pdf

| accessdate = 2019-04-16 }}

Biggs was commissioned by Puma to create a short film as part of their 2012 Films4Peace initiative.{{cite news

|title=JANET BIGGS / Films for Peace

|url=http://films4peace.com/artist/janetbiggs

|url-status=usurped

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213053039/http://films4peace.com/artist/janetbiggs

|archive-date=2013-12-13

}}

In 2006, Hermès commissioned Biggs to create a work of art for their flagship New York store. Biggs installed 11 large monitors in the store's Madison Avenue windows, as well as photographs of equestrian-themed images.{{cite web |url=https://visionealfemminile.altervista.org/janet-biggs/ |title=Janet Biggs |author= |date=October 3, 2023 |website=Visione Al Femminile |publisher= |access-date=August 27, 2024 }}

Biggs works with Cristin Tierney Gallery, New York City, Hyphen-Hub, New York City, CONNERSMITH (Washington, DC), Analix Forever (Geneva, Switzerland), and Galerie Anita Beckers/blink video (Frankfurt, Germany).

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.jbiggs.com/ jbiggs.com - Janet Biggs' web site]
• [http://www.cristintierney.com/artists/janet-biggs Janet Biggs at Cristin Tierney Gallery]
• [http://vimeo.com/jbiggs vimeo.com/jbiggs- Janet Biggs on Vimeo]
• [http://www.connercontemporary.com/artists/janet-biggs/ CONNERSMITH Gallery (Washington, DC)]
• [https://blinkvideo.de/?scope=artists&id=21 Gallery Anita Beckers - Blink Video (Frankfurt, Germany)]
• [http://hyphenhub.org/ Hyphen-Hub (New York, NY)]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Biggs, Janet}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:American video artists

Category:American women performance artists

Category:American performance artists

Category:American women video artists

Category:Artists from New York (state)

Category:Moore College of Art and Design alumni

Category:20th-century American photographers

Category:21st-century American photographers

Category:20th-century American women photographers

Category:21st-century American women photographers