Rebuilding The Black Family
$2,500.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
At first glance you meet a face that holds you — solemn, resolute and quietly burning with memory. The artist presents the figure frontally, eyes steady and gold-tinged, so the gaze becomes an immediate human anchor; a single tear and the hand raised to the brow give that gaze a weight that feels both personal and ceremonial. Deep, warm browns and burnished highlights model the skin with a tactile, sculptural presence, while the background’s aged parchment tones and the rendered chain and dates (1619 — 1865) trace a specific historical frame around the portrait. Small objects held close — a paddle and what reads like an old notice or broadside — sit like witnesses beside the sitter, amplifying a story of labor, displacement and endurance without turning the image into a didactic illustration. The composition balances stillness and intensity: the calm of the face contrasts with the charged symbolism at shoulder height, creating an emotional charge that lingers. Overall, the work feels like a memorial and a declaration at once — intimate in its human detail, public in its historical resonance — inviting a quiet, respectful response rather than easy answers.
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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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