Birmingham artist Willie Williams said he hopes his art will encourage people to keep fighting the good fight.
Williams’ 22 foot tall carbon steel sculpture, titled the Arc of Justice after the famous words of Martin Luther King Jr., will be the center of a local event reminding community members that even in times of unrest, justice will prevail. At 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, Williams will open the doors of Studio 2500 to celebrate art, culture and unity.
“It’s a reminder of what’s at stake, what’s on the line, using art and the Arc of Justice itself as a tool to catalyze change and keep people fighting,” Williams said.
Williams’ story
Willie Williams transforms MLK’s famous words into a monumental sculpture.Alaina Bookman
Raised in Birmingham’s historic Smithfield neighborhood, where civil rights activists Arthur Shores and Angela Davis made their marks, Williams learned the importance of art and history.
Williams recalled drawing at all hours of the day and taking trips to art and civil rights museums across the South as a child.
His father, Willie Williams Sr., taught him how to paint with watercolors at just 4-years-old.
Over time, his passion continued to grow.
“Having the honor to just be raised in Smithfield, and knowing the significance of that area inspired me to do this type of work,” Williams said.
“It just inspired me to delve into that. It was like my second language.”
Williams honed his skill at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, then explored metalworking and sculpture at Birmingham Southern College.
Willie Williams is a painter and metalworker. His gallery, Studio 2500, showcases his work.Alaina Bookman
Today, in a studio nestled in North Birmingham, Williams’ bold, colorful art hangs on the walls. His metal sculptures are intricate and detailed, telling the story of those who came before him.
“My work primarily highlights heroes of the Civil Rights Movement,” Williams said.
“Heroes of Black history and Black culture whose stories and impact and work that they’ve laid in the past are actually resurfacing today through all of the social political changes that we’re experiencing.”
Willie Williams is a painter and metalworker. His gallery and workshop, Studio 2500, showcases his art.Alaina Bookman
His work is all over Birmingham, from City Walk to the Mayor’s Office. But it doesn’t stop there. Williams said his art can also be found in Georgia, Houston, Chicago and New York.
While his art has been recognized nationally, Williams said his Birmingham studio holds a special place in his heart.
“From the mayor to the monks, different generations, old and young, are able to come and find an experience that connects them,” Williams said.
“We’re doing art to heighten Black culture, bring different cultures together and allow our cultural exchange to help us pursue better human relations.”
Wilhelmina Thomas, a civil rights researcher and textile artist, said the first time her art was displayed as an adult was when Williams gave her an opportunity to participate in his gallery.
“As he has these art shows, we are seeing more and more local African American artists,” Thomas said.
“His work and his father’s work are very important to me. They inspire me in my work. And this is just a great space to be…We need to have all of that joy and all of that hope and creativity gives us that. Joy is a form of resistance, so that’s what this is.”
The Arc of Justice
Willie Williams said he created the Arc of Justice in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.Alaina Bookman
In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement came to a head after the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery ignited the nation.
That summer, Williams marched alongside other Birmingham activists demanding change.
“You could hear the frustration…but you could feel the solidarity too,” Williams said.
“It was that day with us walking through those streets, passing through Kelly Ingram, going and stopping at the police station, I was just thinking, ‘My art needs to respond to this social ill right now. Justice is necessary, so how can my art reflect that?’”
He found the answer in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.
“I saw Dr. King speaking and talking about how long justice would take to come. And he said, ‘How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice’.”
From there, Williams got to work.
From 2020 to 2022, he planned, designed, engineered, fundraised and created the Arc of Justice, a piece that he calls a “global symbol” highlighting how, more than 60 years later, the fight for social justice is ongoing.
“It made a moment that carries forward from then to now that keeps the goal of our society to get better and be more just and humane at the forefront,” Williams said.
The event
The “Arc of Justice Day” event will include art, music, food and speeches from civil rights leaders.Alaina Bookman
In a free, annual event, dubbed by Williams Arc of Justice Day, community members will come together for art, music, food and speeches from civil rights and local leaders including Shuttlesworth documentarian T. Marie King and poet laureate Salaam Green.
Activist Sarah Collins Rudolph, who was injured in the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church, will be honored at the event.
“It’s a day of art, community and action,” Williams said.
The Arc of Justice is more than inspiring words from a speech, an art piece and an event. Williams has also created a foundation in its name to fund arts programming for local youth, including summer camps and after-school workshops.
He also hopes to embark on a project to transport the arc to different parts of the world to “represent the global effort and unity required to achieve justice and equality.”
“We want the foundation to be able to use the art and arc to push for social change,” Williams said.
The artist said he hopes the event and his art will inspire community members to keep fighting for better.
“I hope that all 99 neighborhoods in Birmingham are filled with art, opportunity and access for the next generation.”
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