At the heart of William Rhodes’ quilts are collective and personal stories. Two pieces were created in collaboration with Emory Douglas, the iconic Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. Two others reference The Black Times, a powerful Civil Rights-era publication created by Rhodes’ father, William Rhodes Jr., which ran from 1968 to 1978 and spotlighted the voices of Black activists, artists, and everyday community members often ignored by mainstream media.
Encircling the centre panels of the quilts are hand-painted portraits of community members—an intentional act that honors the presence and value of individuals regardless of their status. As Rhodes notes, “These images preserve the determination to address injustice and inequity.”
About the Artist
My name is William Rhodes and I have been a mixed media artist for more than 30 years. I was born in Baltimore, MD but relocated to San Francisco, CA 20 years ago. I received a BA in Furniture Building and Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and a MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. My art explores themes of hidden knowledge, iconographic imagery and forms and how they can change meaning, depending on the cultural context. The catalyst for constant evolution in my art has been my travels, including Africa, Asia and Central and South America. The people, art and cultures of these societies have challenged me to integrate non-Western approaches to sculpture, furniture and art. Explorations into the contrast between these traditional cultures and our modern one have also added depth to the narrative quality of my work.
My creative works are in the collections of various galleries and museums. Several highlights have been, having my work included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Casa de Africa Museum in Havana, Cuba. I also, dedicate part of my time to art education, including art collaborations with schools and Senior Centers in San Francisco, Cuba, South Africa, Italy and Egypt. I am the co-founder of a Black art collective in San Francisco. The 3.9 Art Collective was formed in 2011 in response to the declining Black population in San Francisco.
