11.07.2009

WILLIAM R WILSON: Auto Immune Response


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Auto Immune Response
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

Auto Immune Response #2
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

Auto Immune Response #4
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

Auto Immune Response #5
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

Auto Immune Response #6
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

Auto Immune Response #10
Photograph (c) William R Wilson /All Rights Reserved

"Throughout my work I have focused on photographing Navajo People and our relationship to the land. While portraying this relationship I have always been aware of how our representation has never been without consequence."

The Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, N.M., announced William R Wilson (Navajo) has been selected to oversee the Vision Project, a Ford Foundation grant initiative. Wilson's first undertaking will be to oversee the history of the Contemporary Native American Art Movement in a book featuring Native artists from the U.S. 15 scholars will write up to four essays each on living artists who have made considerable contributions who vary in age and media.

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WILLIAM WILSON, Dine (Navajo), born in San Francisco, CA, moved permanently to the Navajo Reservation when he was 10. He earned a MFA in Photography, with a focus on the History of Photography, at the University of New Mexico and a BA in art history and studio art from Oberlin College, OH.

In Wilson's Auto-Immune Response Series (above), he set out to photograph the Navajo people in relationship to the land, including figures to represent his people and himself. In the photographs, a luminal figure or pair of figures wearing gas masks appear in different dramatic natural places; in the area of the Grand Canyon and in upstate New York near the Finger Lakes. This post-apocalyptic man survey’s what appears to be a pristine and expansive landscape and wonders what has gone wrong. For the Auto-Immune Response Series Wilson received the prestigious Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Fine Art. The Series was a solo exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, New York, NY and the Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ. His work is in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C., the Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ, the University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM, the Juane Quick To See Smith Private Collection, Corrales, NM among others.

Wilson, an artist, photographer, and arts educator, has taught sculpture at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M., photography at Oberlin College and the University of Arizona and served two years as a photojournalist in Central America for the Associated Press. From 2000-2005, Wilson was the co-director of the Barrio Anita Community Mural Project, the largest public art commission in Tucson, Arizona's history. BAMP features a 12,000-square-foot mural alongside the Interstate 10 sound barrier wall. The project involved the creation of a multi-media Arts Center for the community. The Arts Center features digital photography, Venetian glass tile photo-mosaic, metal work and more.
View the BAMP Murals:
North Contzen Street Mural and Ouray Park Mural
Will Wilson Creates Indianapolis Mural video


William R Wilson Website

11 comments:

DHD Design Studio said...

I am always thanking you for bringing these incredible artists to our attention. I really admire William R Wilson's work with his powerful message. He uses his medium to empower us to pay attention.
Thank you again.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Wow, ya blew this farm chick right out of the room! Amazing photos.

Ya'll have a wonderful weekend!!!

Caio Fern said...

what a incredible work .
a real pleasure to see it .

cornel said...

I like it...very creative and soubtle...but self called autoimmune...that's sad when this protectionwall strikes back

Indrani said...

Immense amount of creativity in these. Great images!

TMFA said...

These are stunning pictures. I wish I can shoot these kind of landscape pictures one day!

MARIANA COPELLO said...

Elizabeth your Site is really great...
I invite you to un Mar sin apuros, my site of Fotopoesía...........

see you,

Dumbwit Tellher said...

Stunning images. What a hugely creative photographer. Always glad to learn more about such talented individuals. Thank You ~

alterdom said...

Superb series and tribute to William R Wilson.

Dylana Suarez said...

Lovely blog!

colormenana.blogspot.com

VALERIU said...

La limita, imprevizibil, dinamism, eleganta – cu siguranta nu putem caracteriza frecventa si starea lucrurilor dar mai ales al momentului.

Opreste timpul! Paseste printre fractiuni de secunda, Te astept si pe tine!

http://valeriucostin.blogspot.com/