Herb Williams: Master Heist

“Master Heist” will be on display Friday, Nov. 3 through Wednesday, Nov. 22. An opening reception for the exhibition will take place Nov. 3 from 6-8 p.m. at the gallery. The gallery and reception are free and open to the public.

“Picasso said ‘Bad artists copy, good artists steal.’ When a work transcends its own time and becomes more iconic than even the artist who created it, it becomes part of the very fabric of society,” said Williams, who graduated from BSC with a BFA in sculpture. “For example, Katsushika Hokusai’s ‘Great Wave Off Kanagawa’ is now an emoji. My new series explores sensationalism, ownership, and a conversation throughout time.”

A native of Montgomery, Williams is represented by the Rymer Gallery in Nashville, where he has lived and worked since 1998. Though the artist works with many different mediums and materials, he is one of the only individuals in the world to have an account with Crayola. His artwork holds records with Ripley’s and Guinness and has been placed in many public arenas, including children’s hospitals, corporate lobbies, museum walls, and the White House. His work has been displayed as far as Canada, Japan, England, Australia, and more.

Williams recently completed a large-scale outdoor installation at the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas, that dealt with devastation from wildfire and raised awareness for education, safety, and future planning. A separate collection of 70 sculptures and paintings recently concluded a four-month exhibit in Shanghai, China. His multi-story graffiti paintings are currently being promoted alongside those from internationally known street artists in the Nashville Walls Project.

BSC’s gallery is located in the Doris Wainwright Kennedy Art Center & Azar Art Studios. The exhibition will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.