William Earle Williams
Jamestown Island, Virginia, 1996
Light Work to host four exhibitions in celebration of Black History Month 2007 Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War January 16–March 16, 2007 Light Work: 316 Waverly Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244 Light Work Gallery Reception and Artist Lecture featuring William Earle Williams: Until the release of the motion picture Glory in 1989, it was not well known that more than 180,000 black soldiers served in the Civil War. The exhibition Unsung Heroes: African American Soldiers in the Civil War features over forty stunning black-and-white photographs by William Earle Williams. The images call attention to the sites made special through these soldiers' contributions, so that their story becomes a part of our American story. Williams has been pursuing this series for over ten years. He has photographed significant Civil War sites in the South and North, recording both historically recognizable as well as forgotten locations. According to Williams, "Too often the historical and artistic legacy of black accomplishment is ignored. As an artist the memory of these soldiers has inspired my artistic imagination. The ground they fought on is sacred and an inspiration for all Americans. These sites dispel the myth that blacks were given their citizenship and rights after the Civil War without having fought for and earned them." He photographs sites where black soldiers trained, fought, or lost their lives. These locations, along with images significant to the Underground Railroad, have often been overlooked and are rarely photographed. Williams' photographs are rich in history, and he has spent a great deal of time researching the locations depicted in each image. The sites are often forgotten and unmarked--the viewer would not immediately realize the historic importance of these places without Williams' research. Williams received his BA in History at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY and his MFA in Fine Arts at Yale University School of Art in New Haven, CT. He has been a professor of fine arts at Haverford College in Pennsylvania since 1978, and a curator of photography since 1979. Williams participated in Light Work's Artist-in-Residence program in the summer of 2003. Light Work will feature a gallery reception and an artist lecture by William Earle Williams on February 1, 2007. The reception will take place from 5-8 pm, with the lecture beginning at 5:30pm. This event will kick off a month-long celebration of Black History Month at Syracuse University, which includes numerous speakers and programs. Also on view at Light Work is the Transmedia Photography Annual exhibition, featuring the work of seniors and graduate students in Syracuse University's Department of Transmedia. Gallery hours for these exhibitions are Sunday to Friday, 10am-6pm, and by appointment. To schedule an appointment, please call 315-443-1300. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Light Work invites groups and individuals to schedule tours and gallery talks of the exhibition and facility. Light Work is a non-profit, artist-run organization dedicated to the support of artists working in photography and electronic media. For more information about any of these exhibitions, please contact Jessica Heckman at Light Work, 315-443-1300 or jhheckma@syr.edu.
Additional Exhibitions: Light Work will host three other exhibitions in celebration of Black History Month, including one at the Community Folk Art Center featuring more work by William Earle Williams; an exhibition in Panasci Lounge in Syracuse University's Schine Student Center featuring the work of Coriana Close; and selections from the Light Work Permanent Collection examining diversity and identity in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center, also in Schine Student Center.
January 16–March 8, 2007 The images in this exhibition depict various sites on the Underground Railroad. William Earle Williams participated in Light Work's Artist-in-Residence program, and used his residency in Syracuse to explore and photograph the many Underground Railroad sites in Central New York. He was particularly moved by a local story, commonly referred to as the Jerry Rescue. William "Jerry" Henry was a former slave from Missouri, and arrested in 1851 in Syracuse. That night, local abolitionists (both black and white) broke into the jail and rescued Jerry. It was the boldest move in history by local abolitionists, and allowed Jerry to continue on the Underground Railroad to Canada. The story of the Jerry Rescue inspired Williams to photograph the journey to freedom that many experienced on the Underground Railroad.
February 1-March 1, 2007 This exhibition, featuring the photography of Coriana Close, captures the history of Oberlin, Ohio's Underground Railroad. The images include large format color photographs of buildings in Oberlin that were essential to the abolitionist movement. The photographs were taken at night with long exposure times, and convey a mixture of danger and promised safety. Of the work, Close says, "My photography is meant to serve not only as a document, but also a reminder of what took place right here in Oberlin in the not so distant past. In the darkness of slavery, Oberlin was a shining light, a candle in the distance symbolizing freedom."
January 16-April 19, 2007 This exhibition, curated by Syracuse University graduate student Kaylen Williams, features images from the Light Work Collection. The work selected explores how contemporary artists approach issues of ethnic and cultural identity. The exhibition features images in which the photographers visually explore the concept of identity by either looking at their own culture or that of their subjects. The images focus on social constructs including race, gender, ethnicity, cultural heritage, sexuality, and class.
Press images available. **Press Image Captions : Jamestown Island, Virginia, 1996 "This is near the place where the first African indentured laborers landed in the English North American Colonies in 1619. Later this site became a Civil War Fort built by enslaved Africans for the defense of the Confederate States." William Earle Williams Clinton Square, Jerry Rescue Demonstration Site, Syracuse, NY, 2003 John Mercer Langston House, 207 East College Street, Front View, Spring 2006 Mayor of Kryvorivnya, Katerina Dmytrivna Leniv, in her office. In her purse she holds the village seal. Kryvorivnya, Ukraine, 1993 |
Underground Railroad Made Visible
A Journey Towards Hope: Underground Railroad Sites in Oberlin, Ohio
Un/Common Threads: Selections from the Light Work Collection