Rebuilding The Black Family
$2,500.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A single, steady gaze anchors this piece—an older woman with deep, luminous skin and a tear that quietly communicates sorrow and memory. The close-up treatment makes her face almost conversational: the fine planes and highlights across her brow, cheek, and hand read like a life lived, while the hand lifted to her forehead suggests searching, shielding, or remembering. Behind and beside her, layered marks and a fragment of printed text hint at history; the carved dates 1619–1865 sit like a visible scar across the lower field, naming a span of time and loss without spelling out every story. The palette of warm sepia and umber tones gives the work an archival, almost candlelit quality, and the small, bright catches in her eyes and jewelry introduce moments of resilience amid the heaviness. Overall, the composition balances personal presence and historical weight—an intimate portrait that quietly insists we see both the individual and the time that shaped her. It feels like a work meant to hold memory and invite reflection rather than to explain it away.
Collector Details
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About the Collection
Kevin Williams (WAK) is known for his vibrant street art that blends urban culture with contemporary expressionism. His graffiti art and bold graphic designs capture the energy and emotional expression of the streets, transforming city walls into colorful murals that reflect modern life and pop culture. WAK’s work incorporates elements of abstract street art, combining mixed media techniques and social commentary art to explore themes of identity, power, and societal issues. Through his modern urban art, he bridges the gap between traditional graffiti and contemporary symbolism, creating pieces that resonate with the pulse of the city and the spirit of modern expression.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Kevin Williams (WAK).
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Kevin A. Williams better known by the art moniker WAK, his initials backwards, is an American painter and businessman from Chicago’s Southside. He is one of the most celebrated figurative storytellers of this era with his collection of paintings being the most widely circulated urban fine art series in the world.At the age of 15, Kevin A. Williams started working as an artist, on Chicago’s Historic East 87th Street Black Business District, drawing and painting images for clothing boutiques and hair salons. At 19, he became a cosmetology illustrator for Soft Sheen hair products which eventually led to a commission from Alberto Culver USA, to create "Standing Appointment" which depicts 4 women under hair dryers, for their Motions hair care line. It is regarded the most popular art image in the history of the hair care industry. While developing his fine art line, Williams worked exclusively with the late Actor\Comedian Bernie Mac as his personal artist for over 15 years, creating over 20 original paintings, including a very important piece commissioned by the Actor\Comedian as a gift for Oprah Winfrey. The piece titled “Anointed Gift” was unveiled on Oprah’s televised 50th birthday celebration, and was regarded by her as “the most amazing gift”. This amazing gift currently hangs in the lobby of Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. In November 2009, Williams was commissioned by the Professional Golf Association (PGA) to memorialize Ted Rhodes, John Shippen, Bill Spiller, the first African-American inductees to the PGA who were denied membership during their professional careers, along with honorary member, heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. Williams also made history by becoming the 1st African American artist to have a painting to permanently hang in the PGA National Museum in Port St. Lucie, Fla. In April 2018 ,Williams was commissioned by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated to create a centerpiece for the newly renovated national headquarters in Chicago,Illinois. " The One" depicting the founding, legacy and continued life of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority..
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