CoRK EAST, STUDIO 22

Marcus Jamal Williams is a visual artist born in Jacksonville, FL in 1988. He has been immersed in the world of visual and performing art since a the age of 5, first developing his passion for creativity while attending Lake Forest elementary, school of the arts.

This early and consistent exposure to the arts revealed a pervasive lack of representation with regards to both the creators and subjects of the most well known and highly regarded works of art. This observation heavily influences Williams' decision to exclusively depict members of the African diaspora, primarily its female members, and to do so with a reverential approach prevalent in the work he grew up learning about. He also creates work designed to evoke a shift in perspective around issues of historical oppression and continued injustices.

Williams' professional career began in 2011 after earning a degree in philosophy from the University of Florida and moving back to Jacksonville. Early on, his work was largely observational rather than conceptual and consisted of mostly charcoal and graphite. Over time, his preferred medium gradually shifted towards acrylic paint, allowing for the exploration of wide range concepts and techniques. This shift led to an experimental method of creating, where each successive piece builds on the trials and errors of previous works. Abstraction, blurring the boundaries between foreground and background, and exploring different application methods are some of the tools employed in his constantly evolving process. Whereas his early work centered around the accurate depiction of subjects, his current work seeks to interpret them in more thoughtful and creative ways.

Williams' work has been exhibited in galleries and museums locally and internationally and has been featured in various publications including, EU Jacksonville, Folio Weekly, Worthy Magazine, Arbus Magazine, and Modish Affairs. He currently has work in various private collections and works out of his studio in the Cork Arts District in his hometown of Jacksonville.

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photos by Cre8Jax