North Birmingham artist uses art to inspire justice and community

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

Willie Williams, an artist in North Birmingham, is using his gallery, Studio 2500, to preserve history, confront injustice, and inspire his community through art and civic engagement.

From the outside, Studio 2500, located in a former auto-repair shop on 26th Avenue, may not look like much, but inside, it is filled with art that reflects the spirit of a neighborhood that once thrived during Birmingham’s steel boom but has struggled to recover from its decline.

“It’s beautiful and I would think it is a metaphor for the area. You know, don’t judge the outer appearance. Really get into the area and explore,” Williams said.

Williams’ childhood in Birmingham’s historic Smithfield area, adjacent to Dynamite Hill, has been a major influence on his work.

“I grew up in the Smithfield area, and it is very historic. It’s adjacent to Dynamite Hill, where figures like Arthur Shores and Angela Davis lived and worked. It inspired me and my current work today to preserve history, to fight or confront injustice in my artwork, and to speak for those who are marginalized,” Williams said.

In 2020, during the pandemic and a national reckoning over racial injustice, Williams created a 22-foot-tall carbon-steel sculpture called “The Arc of Justice,” which now stands outside his gallery.

“The idea behind that project is to galvanize the community to pursue justice and humanity. As Dr. King said, ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,’ Williams said.

The sculpture incorporates steel fragments collected from North Birmingham, connecting the artwork to the community’s history.

“A lot of my work not only deals with the history of civil rights, but has remnants and fragments of steel that I’ve collected from the area in North Birmingham,” Williams said.

The sculpture also inspired the creation of the Arc of Justice Foundation, which focuses on art, civic engagement, and summer camps to empower local children.

“Our foundation centers around using art and civic engagement to educate, especially the youth. Our summer camps have blended an artistic lens for justice, civic engagement and more social-emotional learning for our youth to grow up and be well-rounded citizens,” Williams said.

Williams’ creativity runs in the family—his father is an architect, and some of his work is displayed in the gallery. Though Williams initially considered following in his father’s footsteps, he discovered his passion for art after attending the Alabama School of Fine Arts and graduating from Birmingham-Southern College.

“I’m multifaceted. One day I could be painting. One day I could be sculpting. One day I could be playing on the piano. I’m just a creative,” Williams said.

When asked why he chose North Birmingham for his gallery, Williams emphasized the area’s need for cultural enrichment and resources.

“‘Why there people often ask me’? And my answer to that is, why not there? Because the area needs cultural enrichment, and it’s been so underserved and has lacked resources for so long. That’s what makes the work relevant,” Williams said.

Williams sees potential where others might see neglect.

“Knowing the people in this area gives me more hope and inspires me even more to continue in this area. I would rather be in no other place. Don’t look at the area and diminish the work that’s happening in the area. Always look at the people who add to the area—and I am one of those people,” Williams said.

Through his vision and dedication, Williams transforms what may seem unremarkable from the outside into something extraordinary, inspiring his community and beyond.