Celebrating Herb Williams: His Life, His Work And His Art Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery
March 31 - April 30, 2008

The Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery and The Community Folk Art Center are proud to present Celebrating Herb Williams: His Life, His Work And His Art. This exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the world of Herb Williams, a creative visionary whose desire to share with his community the art and culture of African descended people often took priority over his personal and artistic life.

As the Founding Director in 1972 - of what was then called The Community Folk Art Gallery - Williams wanted African-American people to learn about the creative contributions in this country and across the world of those who shared their heritage. "He employed his expertise as an artist, educator and philosopher to create a space where artists, students and community residents could come together in an artistic environment that sought to expose, educate and most importantly empower Black people," says Kheli Willets, the current Academic Director of the Community Folk Art Center and professor in the Department of African-American Studies.

Created with the support of Syracuse University during a time in the Nation's history when alternative ideas all over the country were being explored, the Gallery became a community art space. "There you could find an audience that crossed the lines of color, economics and age that came together around art and ideas," says Megan White, former Assistant Director of the Community Folk Art Center. "There was a uniqueness in having a facility where students, faculty and every-day community members were all treated the same and could rub shoulders with artists of all disciplines."

Under the guidance of Williams', who - in addition to receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Ohio University - studied sculpture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and received a Certificate in African Studies from the University of Ghana, The Community Folk Art Center became a unique venue and was perhaps an early example of Scholarship in Action, the current vision of SU's Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. "It was always a place where dialogue and interaction between artists and community members could take place in the form of exhibitions, workshops and programs," says Gina Stankivitz, Curator of the exhibition.

As an assistant professor in African Studies and Museum Studies at SU, Williams was always seeking to promote the works of artists of diverse ethnic origins. But Williams' commitment to community engagement and his support of fellow artist didn't leave much time or room for him to showcase his own work. Through the years employees at The Center would only catch glimpses of his work. "I knew that he was a sculptor, but I previously had not seen more than a few of his pieces," explains Stankivitz. "In putting this show together, besides being introduced to dozens of Herb's sculptures, I also saw Herb's prints and drawings, which number into the hundreds, if not thousands."

Paring down a life's work is a daunting task for sure but one that the staff of The Center is both honored and humbled to do - for Williams' was a mentor, a boss and a friend. For them, this exhibition - the first of its kind since his death in 1999 - is a unique opportunity to showcase Williams' artwork, which speaks to his life's work of creativity and its enduring legacy.