The New Orleans Museum of Art is currently exhibiting “John Biggers: My America,” the artist’s first solo exhibition, until March 20.

Included in the exhibition is a selection of paintings, drawings and two rare sculptures, all from the artist’s personal collection.

Over the course of his career, Biggers moved from creating works that were overtly critical of racial and economic injustice to more allegorical works in which African and African American women function as solid and graceful allegories of creativity, life, hope and the survival of a community and culture.

Whether sketching an African woman dancing or painting one of his 27 public murals, Biggers drew inspiration from African art and culture; from the injustices of a segregated United States; from the stoic women of his own family; and from the heroism of everyday survival. In January of 2001, John Biggers died, leaving behind a body of work that as Maya Angelou stated, “Leads us through his expressions into the discovery of ourselves at our most intimate level.”

The New Orleans Museum of Art is at 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park; and is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; and Thursday, 12:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

For information 504-488-2631 or www.noma.org.