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Effective January 1: Masks are Optional in VisArts’ Classrooms and Studios
Logan’s Run, an exhibition inspired by the science fiction novel and 1976 film, explores a storyline situated in a universe where individuals hold value only as long as they serve a machine-driven societal structure. Through this lens, the film can be reinterpreted as a metaphor for the racialized architecture inherent in Western culture, highlighting how Blackness is constructed within a system that views it as both fundamental and expendable, straddling the line between human and non-human.
The use of various technology, fiber, and childlike materials, such as chalkboard blended within the work, is an attempt to highlight the complexities and nuances associated with racism, discrimination, and the Black construct.
Cui Bono?, a sculptural painting that resembles an old CRT television with a working mechanical power button, references the cultural experience of playing the video game Street Fighter II. In this work, Balrog, the sole Black character, finds himself in a battle against himself. Cui Bono? explores not just who benefits from the assault, but also whether the undoing is actually an internal threat or if it stems from external power structures.
James Williams II (b. 1982, Syracuse, NY) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores racial constructs, systemic racism, and cultural identity in the United States. He creates paintings and sculptures that often incorporate non-traditional materials to form richly layered reliefs.
Williams has presented solo exhibitions at UTA Artist Space (Atlanta, GA), LCVA Museum (Longwood, VA), Langer Over Dickie (Chicago, IL), and Resort Baltimore (Baltimore, MD). His work has also been featured in group exhibitions at GAVLAK Gallery (Los Angeles, CA), Catalyst Contemporary, and the Walters Art Museum (both in Baltimore, MD), among others. His work is included in the public collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Williams is the recipient of the 2022 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize and the MFA Joan Mitchell Foundation Award. His exhibitions have been reviewed by publications including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Baltimore Beat, The Baltimore Sun, BmoreArt, and others. He lives and works in Baltimore, MD.
PRICE LIST To purchase an artwork, email M. Aragon, maragon@visartscenter.org Logan’s Run Price List
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