Carl Joe Williams (30 July 1970, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American visual artist based in New Orleans.

Carl Joe Williams
Born30 July 1970
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
EducationAtlanta College of Art
Known forPainting, Sculpture

Art career

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Williams creates paintings and painted sculpture from found objects, references to pop culture and rhythmic patterns inspired by the geometric forms found in nature. His work was included in Reverb: Past, Present, Future, at the Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans), where New York curator, Isolde Brielmaier,[1] unpacked the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina through the survey show.[2] "I had this old chair that sat in my bathroom for the longest time, and I always saw it as a piece of sculpture. It looks like a hanger, but it almost looked like a piece of African sculpture to me."[3]

He describes his works as “symphonies of colors” that present a powerful visual experience.[4] Williams’ installation, Journeys, was featured at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Atlanta, GA) in 2002.[5] And his Sculptural Trees public art installation in Metairie, Louisiana was described as reminiscent of “lollipops in a Candyland forest,”[6] with their custom acrylic light boxes attached to crepe myrtles. Williams is one of the founders of Blights Out, a Creative Capital supported project in New Orleans along with artists Lisa Sigal and Imani Jacqueline Brown.[7] Blights Out is a community- and artist-led initiative to activate agency in neighborhood development.[8] This initiative was initiated as part of Prospect New Orleans, the largest biennial of international contemporary art in the U.S.[9] His visual interpretations are enhanced by his vision of art and music as extensions of one another. An accomplished musician as well as a visual artist, Williams incorporates his musical compositions into videos and installations. Found objects play an important role in Williams’s works by becoming elements a narrative continuum that addresses societal and historical concerns.[10]

Williams attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Art (NOCCA)[11] where he received formal training. Williams continued his studies at Atlanta College of Art earning his BFA.

Williams is a founding member of Level Artist Collective, which includes artists Ana Hernandez, Horton Humble, Rontherin Ratliff, and John Isiah Walton.[12] Williams has had a variety of exhibitions including at the George Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi, at Crystal Bridges,[13] at Convergence: JMC@P3 Exhibition in conjunction with Prospect 3+ New Orleans, Curated by Deborah Willis and Sponsored by the Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans Museum of Art, Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art (solo),[14] at McKenna Museum of African American Art, Hammonds House Galleries, Atlanta, GA and permanent public art installations in Atlanta at Sweet Auburn Curb Market (as part of 1996 Summer Olympics) and at the Washington Park Tennis Center. In 2013 he was a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Center NOLA Studio Artist Residence Program. His work is included in the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Collection.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Isolde Brielmaier". nyu.edu. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  2. ^ Shaw, Cameron. "Ten Years After Katrina, New Orleans Museums Reckon With Recovery". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Rebecca. "Studio Visit : Carl Joe Williams in New Orleans". BurnAway. burnaway. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  4. ^ Ross, Barbara Johnson. "New exhibitions reflect timeless expressions of art at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum". Knight Blog. knightfoundation.org. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Hartsfield-Jackson Kids". atlanta-airport.com/. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Carl Joe Williams | Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans". cacno.org. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  7. ^ "Main". Blights Out. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  8. ^ Shiels, Justin. "Imani Brown On: Prospect 3, Blight in New Orleans, and the Occupy Movement". Go Invade. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  9. ^ Loos, Ted. "In New Orleans, a Biennial on the 3-Year Plan". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Carl Joe Williams: Shades of Perception - December 10, 2013 – May 31, 2014 - Ohr O'Keefe Museum of Art". Ohr O'Keefe Museum of Art. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  11. ^ "November 8: Grand Opening Of 5 Press Gallery Featuring Work By NOCCA Faculty & Alumni". 5pressgallery.com. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  12. ^ "Level Artist Collective". press-street.org. Retrieved 7 April 2016.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art". Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  14. ^ "Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Photo: prostitute, Carl Joe Williams". Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  15. ^ "Works – Carl Joe Williams – Artists – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art". collection.crystalbridges.org. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
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