Don't Crush It
Carl Williams
Artist Statement:
I used to believe self-portraiture was radical. Within the practice an artist can attempt to craft some vision of themselves, addressing any question, observation or inconsistency. In a society where the dominant social narrative seeks to define or categorize people, defining oneself through art feels subversive. Since graduating from college my motivations for making self portraits during my school days feel a bit overly serious. I appreciate art's ability to reflect intensity of emotion, but sometimes there is a need to make and view art from a relaxed and open perspective. Approaching the process with a serious attitude can be helpful, but the desire to make something perfect can lead to inaction. Rather than making one grand effort it is better that you Don't Crush It, and allow each consistent attempt to build. This show is a display of my journey through self-portraiture. Combining works from my undergraduate years with my more recent drawings and prints I hope this show recognizes both the importance of examining the meaning of identity and the value of emotional detachment in the artistic process. From detachment is the potential for new found confidence. For this show, old drawings have gained new life, a new technique using acrylic paint markers is making its debut, and new expressions drawn on newsprint have been translated into relief prints.
Artist Bio:
Carl Williams is a resident of Belmont Massachusetts. He is a recent graduate from Bowdoin College, where he received a degree in Government & Legal Studies and Visual Arts. Though his two majors may seem unrelated, he seeks to use each in turn to the other. Using art as a mechanism for understanding the political world, and using political knowledge as a factor in understanding art. Since February of 2023, Carl’s body of work has been centralized around self-portraiture, which he sees as an exploration of the performative aspects of identity. Carl’s studies at Bowdoin College helped him establish a technical and philosophical basis for his art. Having executed an independent studio practice centered around self portraiture, his work was displayed in the “Life From Here” show at his alma mater. His show at the Belmont Media Center allows him to show his self portraits in Massachusetts for the first time, looping in older and newer drawings from his journey with self portraiture.