SUN + LIGHT

ON VIEW IN THE Lobby GALLERY November 13, 2020 – February 14, 2021

Charles Edward Williams, American Dream, 2017, oil and gesso on watercolor paper, courtesy of Mr. Reginald M. Browne

Sun + Light is a collection of works from the series Everyone Loves the Sunshine by contemporary visual artist Charles Edward Williams. The artworks featured in Sun + Light juxtapose Williams’ own personal encounters, past and present, with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Here, Williams attempts to strike a balance between both the peaceful and violent protests of the movement and of varied expressions of power. He recounts stories told to him by his grandmother about this specific period in U.S. history and about the belief she passed down to him and that would guide his work: “stay in the light, stay positive.”

Artist Biography

Raised in Georgetown, South Carolina, Williams received a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia and an MFA from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since that time, he has created compelling imagery in oils, video and film, and sound installations, using his work to investigate current and historical cultural events related to racism and to grapple with the issues of racial stereotypes. Examinations of self-representation and cultural identity, Williams’ multimedia works employ visual and emotional tension to expose complexities within our sociopolitical environments. Through his visions, we are encouraged to engage in self-examination, to question the false boundaries that separate us, and to view the interconnectedness of our common existence. 

Learn more about Charles Edward Williams at his website www.cewpaintings.com 

SUN + LIGHT is organized by the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida.