Williams Earns Acclaim

at Studio Museum in Harlem

School of Art Design and Art History
 
viewfrom-balcony-1000x600
Photo Credit: Scott Rudd (@scottruddevents) and #fictions


Work by SADAH Assistant Professor of Art, Stephanie Williams, is featured in the Fictions Exhibition, on view from September 14 - January 7 at the Studio Museum in Harlem at 144 West 125TH Street in New York.  

Fictions exhibit sign with attendees

Opening Reception for Fictions. Photo Credit: Scott Rudd (@scottruddevents) and #fictions


Fictions
is the fifth iteration of the “F” series, initiated by the 
Studio Museum in Harlem director Thelma Golden in 2001 to help support emerging artists of color.  Previous "F" exhibitions included Freestyle, Frequency, Fore, and Flow.  Fictions focuses on alternative or parallel narratives that complicate fact, fiction, and memory.  The exhibition features work in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, video, and large-scale installations by nineteen artists from around the country.

artist group shot

19 Artists from "Fictions." Stephanie Williams shown 6th from the right. Photo Credit: Scott Rudd (@scottruddevents) and #fictions


Stephanie Williams' piece is a stop-motion puppet animation film called Pinoy Ploy, and was funded from the JMU's Provost Research Grant.  The film is a food-related piece, and since Wlliams is half Filipina, the film features a large number of balut, a Filipino treat made from a duck embyro that is bolied and eaten from its shell.  The balut interact with other food items such as Uncle Ben’s rice and Aunt Jemima syrup, as well as Precious Moments angel figurines.

still shot from film

Still from "Pinoy Ploy" by Stephanie Williams.

“Working with the Studio Museum has been such an honor," says Stephanie Wiliiams. "They’ve given me a chance to converse about things that I care so much about, unpacking how Americanness is perceived and how taste is legitimized. How often have I heard that the food that I grew up eating, described as gross or odd?  This project talks about the role of stereotype in appropriating the foods of marginalized communities.”



REVIEWS

ArtNews: Here’s the List of 19 Emerging Artists to Feature in New Studio Museum Show

Artsy: The Latest in the Studio Museum’s Landmark “F” Series Is a Timely Exploration of Truth and Fiction

Artsy: The 15 New York Shows You Need to See This October

Village Voice: At “Fictions” in Harlem, Young Black Artists Are on Fire

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Published: Friday, October 20, 2017

Last Updated: Thursday, November 2, 2023

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