{"title":"Ronald Williams","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0609\/4215\/5907\/files\/Picture.jpg?v=1782423052\" alt=\"\" width=\"302\" height=\"453\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eB. 1990 - \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBarbados\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"OutlineElement Ltr SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"OutlineElement Ltr SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Paragraph SCXW139833481 BCX0\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"auto\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003eRonald Williams is a visual artist who primarily works in digital media. While earning his \u003cbr\u003eBFA in Fine Arts from The Barbados Community College (BCC), he began \u003cbr\u003eexperimenting with digital collage which he has since gone on to refine and develop into \u003cbr\u003ehis individual style. Williams’ work has been exhibited in numerous local, regional and \u003cbr\u003einternational shows; notably featuring in part of the Dak'Art 2024 program. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Paragraph SCXW139833481 BCX0\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"auto\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis digital collages incorporate images and symbols which when juxtaposed raise \u003cbr\u003equestions about our understanding of ‘masculinity’, ‘class’ and ‘the black identity’.\u003cbr\u003e“I present, subvert and play with stereotypes in my work to create dialogues which \u003cbr\u003esurround themes of ‘blackness’. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Paragraph SCXW139833481 BCX0\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-contrast=\"auto\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW139833481 BCX0\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis artistic vision is primarily linked to his interrogation of the social landscape and how \u003cbr\u003ethe black male navigates the nuanced complexity of that socio-political and economic \u003cbr\u003esystem.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Paragraph SCXW139833481 BCX0\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eArtist Statement\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eIdentity. Whether investigating masculinity, beauty, otherness, inclusion\/exclusion, or understanding 'blackness' from a social, historical or political context, identity has been a central theme in my work. On reflection, identity has been a prominent subject due to my own struggle with self-image. Growing up in a post-colonial, globalized Caribbean state where mainstream images of the 'black self' were seldom locally created, there was a void which imported images (usually constructed by non-blacks and regularly negative) naturally filled. This, combined with an early art education which presented a negation\/ lack of the black figure in important periods of art history, set the stage for deep rooted ideologies regarding race and identity. As such, through my work I seek to critically engage the stereotypes which inform perceptions of identity, particularly constructions of 'blackness'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eMy digital collages incorporate images and symbols which when juxtaposed raise questions about our understanding of the black identity. I present, subvert and play with stereotypes in my work to create dialogues surrounding themes of 'blackness'. The work is intentionally, at times, self contradictory, but layered with symbols and allegories which could be read in multiple ways due to the multifaceted discourse of identity. The figure plays a central role in many of my collages as I use these stylized forms as a way to refer to the way in which fantasies and ideals are projected onto the black body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eTo create each piece I use a mixture of photographs, computer generated images, as well as, popular based images sourced from the internet and the print media. After sourcing relevant material, I cut, manipulate and re-assemble the images using Adobe Photoshop to compose these digital collages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"paradise-king-1","title":"Paradise King 1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eParadise King 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRonald Williams\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedium: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eDigital Collage Print\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 40 x 30 inches\u003cbr\u003eYear: 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen contemplating the idea of Caribbean Soul, my initial focus went to the landscape and unique tropical vegetation which read as Caribbean with just a look. However in the back of my mind I kept going to something deeper which I felt had a stronger connection to us as a region. That was our shared history of colonialism, forced labour, resistance and subsequent struggle for self-determination. To that end, for the creation of these two pieces, I pulled inspiration from ideas presented in Lamming’s In The Castle of My Skin; in particular, themes about resilience,Black identity and consciousness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe figures stand tall, strong and proud, even defiant, with their rich black skin while sporting crowns made from sugar cane and being dressed as field workers \/ members of the ‘first gang’ regiment introduced in chattel slavery. This alludes not only to an acknowledgement of the post-colonial socio-political landscape we find ourselves in but a consciousness of identity which I think we as Caribbean people carry wherever we go.\u003cbr\u003eI also can’t be oblivious to the fact that the region for the most part is seen as a paradise, which contradicts its brutal history and the lived experiences of the majority of its peoples. To illustrate this, the tropical flora which I was first drawn to becomes flat and pattern-like; presenting as artificial as the construction of this space as a Paradise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Ronald Williams","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47359272059011,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"XCD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0609\/4215\/5907\/files\/RonaldWilliams_ParadiseKing1_2026.jpg?v=1782423659"},{"product_id":"paradise-king-2","title":"Paradise King 2","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eParadise King 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRonald Williams\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedium: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eDigital Collage Print\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 40 x 30 inches\u003cbr\u003eYear: 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen contemplating the idea of Caribbean Soul, my initial focus went to the landscape and unique tropical vegetation which read as Caribbean with just a look. However in the back of my mind I kept going to something deeper which I felt had a stronger connection to us as a region. That was our shared history of colonialism, forced labour, resistance and subsequent struggle for self-determination. To that end, for the creation of these two pieces, I pulled inspiration from ideas presented in Lamming’s In The Castle of My Skin; in particular, themes about resilience,Black identity and consciousness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe figures stand tall, strong and proud, even defiant, with their rich black skin while sporting crowns made from sugar cane and being dressed as field workers \/ members of the ‘first gang’ regiment introduced in chattel slavery. This alludes not only to an acknowledgement of the post-colonial socio-political landscape we find ourselves in but a consciousness of identity which I think we as Caribbean people carry wherever we go.\u003cbr\u003eI also can’t be oblivious to the fact that the region for the most part is seen as a paradise, which contradicts its brutal history and the lived experiences of the majority of its peoples. To illustrate this, the tropical flora which I was first drawn to becomes flat and pattern-like; presenting as artificial as the construction of this space as a Paradise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Ronald Williams","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47359303680131,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"XCD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0609\/4215\/5907\/files\/Ronald_Williams_Paradise_King_2_2026.jpg?v=1782424061"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0609\/4215\/5907\/collections\/pict20140418_161316_0_39ecbffe-0f74-42cf-b739-61342da8d2f4.jpg?v=1782423105","url":"https:\/\/mustiqueart.com\/collections\/naja-misaki-simeon-copy-1.oembed","provider":"Mustiqe Caribbean Contemporary Art Show","version":"1.0","type":"link"}