Pat Ward Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pat Ward Williams
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Pat Ward Williams in 2014
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| Born | 1948 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | BFA, Moore College of Art and Design; MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art |
| Known for | Photography, public art |
Pat Ward Williams (born 1948) is an American photographer. Her art often explores important topics like race, gender, and history. Besides her smaller photos and art pieces, she has also created three large public artworks in Los Angeles.
Williams studied art at the Moore College of Art and Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her degrees in 1982 and 1987.
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Pat Ward Williams: Her Artworks
One of Pat Ward Williams' most famous artworks is called Accused/Blowtorch/Padlock. She created it in 1986. This piece uses an old photo from Life magazine, taken in 1937. The photo shows a Black man tied to a tree.
Williams added text around the photo. This text shares her strong feelings about the image. It makes viewers think about what they are seeing.
Famous Exhibitions
Accused/Blowtorch/Padlock has been shown in many important art shows. These include The Decade Show, which was a big exhibition by several museums. It was also part of Art, Women, California 1950–2000 at the San Jose Museum of Art.
In 1992, Williams released a book called Probable Cause. This book featured a series of her photographs. These photos were shown at the Goldie Paley Gallery.
What Her Art Means
In Accused/Blowtorch/Padlock, Williams uses both text and images. She wants to send a clear message. She makes certain parts of the original photo bigger. She puts these parts inside a frame that looks like an old window. This helps viewers truly see what is happening in the picture.
Williams explained her goal for the artwork. She said, "I force the viewer to look at what is really going on." She does this by focusing on important details. She uses text to guide what the viewer should notice. For example, she highlights the tied hands, the scarred back, and the lock, chain, and tree.
Art expert Dora Apel said that Williams' text helps viewers understand. It shows the connection between violence, public display, and how things are shown to the world.
Art for Everyone: Public Artworks
Pat Ward Williams has also created three large artworks for public spaces in Los Angeles.
The Emperor of the Great 9th District
In 1995, she designed The Emperor of the Great 9th District. This artwork is a memorial to Gilbert Lindsay. He was an important public figure. The monument is at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
It has three tall concrete pillars, each 10 feet high. Each pillar has three sides. They show a portrait of Lindsay at his desk. If you look closely, you'll see the large picture of Lindsay is made of 104 smaller tiles. These tiles show more pictures of Lindsay with his family, staff, and other famous people, like Martin Luther King Jr..
Starbursts
Williams' 2001 artwork, Starbursts, is at the Hollywood and Highland Center. She was inspired by a dance scene from the 1934 movie Dames.
Williams created round images that look like camera angles from the film. These images are etched onto black granite. You can see them on the floors of the upper and lower entrance plazas of the Dolby Theatre.
Everyday People
In 2003, Williams made Everyday People. This public artwork is at the Lake metro station in Los Angeles. It features large photographs of local people. These photos are placed on colorful glass panels.
Sharing Her Knowledge
Pat Ward Williams has taught photography at several universities. She taught at UC Irvine. She was also a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Technikon Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Since 2000, she has been teaching at Florida State University.
About Her Life
Pat Ward Williams' daughter is Janaya Williams. She works as a radio producer for National Public Radio in Washington, D.C.
