Chicago-based artist Karé Williams explores Black identity and transformation with “Dancing in the Rain,” Dittmar Gallery’s latest exhibition goes public
- Habiba Affo
- 8 minutes ago
- 3 min read
As Karé Williams’ words reverberated throughout the room, a silence settled around the diverse group of onlookers.
“I’m not focused on the negative,” the artist said. “I’m focused on how we transform it into something positive.”
The small crowd held on to every word of his short speech, and nearly everyone nodded their heads once he finished. It was almost like the listeners understood the desire for transformation and wanted it for themselves. As Williams began to explain how a rain catcher represented transformation, people furrowed their brows, contemplating what he meant. This was the scene of the Black House Quibbler Room yesterday as art enthusiasts and Black Studies’ community members greeted the new Dittmar Gallery artist with a welcome luncheon.
“Dancing in the Rain,” an exhibit curated by Dittmar Gallery Assistant & Technician Gabby Gutierrez, opens today in the cozy exhibition room located in Norris, right next to Shake Smart. It is marked by an opening ceremony where Williams will once again introduce a crowd of Northwestern community members to his art. Williams meticulously arranged his pieces to carry viewers through a journey that explores Black identity, beginning in hardship and transforming into prosperity. Throughout the exhibit, one can see the perennial question on the artist’s mind: “How do the things we go through shape our identity, and how does our identity shape our experiences?” He wants observers to consider how they can take struggle and nurse it into something great—an ode to the Black American tradition of carving out better conditions for themselves.
For those unable to attend today, the exhibit will be open for viewing through March 4, and Williams will once again engage with community members on Feb. 9 with a workshop titled “Abstracting the Self: A Drawing & Collage Workshop.” A host of programming will take place in the space throughout the month, all in some way connected to the idea of reflection, political activity and Black identity. On Feb. 4, the gallery will host the second installment of The Salon, a regularly occurring mindfulness group, and participants will be prompted to consider the convergences, divergences and tensions between the concept of mindfulness and political investments. Immediately upon entry into the gallery space, a “book nook" replete with the work of Black authors recommended by Williams’ himself will be available for viewers to engage with and deepen their reflection.
It was in Washington D.C’s Black neighborhoods that Williams was first introduced to storytelling and visual art. He witnessed the beauty of artmaking from “people who no one expected—people who had great stories that no one was paying attention to.” The best storytellers he knew were people who were homeless or addicted to drugs, said.
More than that, visual art was something his community made every single day.
“As Black people, there are certain ways we have to step out the house,” he said.
The shoes, hair and clothes his neighbors wore transformed them into walking pieces of art. Although all of this art is oftentimes belittled in Black communities, Williams is determined to turn that negativity into something positive.
During yesterday’s opening luncheon, Williams continued to describe the exhibit's centerpiece, staring into the many contemplative brows and seeing pondering, perhaps even perplexed, faces.
“As the rain hits the cans and makes music, it’s a kind of cleansing,” Williams said, nearly done with his talk.
The rain catcher’s music will ring throughout the exhibit, reminding viewers that rain doesn’t have to always be gloomy, it can become the thing that they dance to.
To learn more about Dittmar Gallery’s exhibits, visit https://www.northwestern.edu/norris/arts/dittmar-gallery/.