Didier William: The future is present, the harbinger is homeProspect.6. The Historic New Orleans Collection, New Orleans, US
Exhibition views: Didier William, 'Prospect.6: Gesture to Home', exhibition view. Courtesy: the artist and Prospect.6 New Orleans; photograph: Amber Shields
“Gesture to Home”, an installation by Didier William comprising paintings and larger-than-life epoxy resin sculptures, is currently on view at The Historic New Orleans Collection and runs until February 2, 2025.
The artist developed series of new works examining ancestral histories embedded in the landscape upon the invitation of Prospect New Orleans 6th triennial. He had a hunch that the confluence of African, Afro-Caribbean and European cultures in the New Orleans area might connect the region’s history with his own experience of the Haitian diaspora.
During a trip to the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana, Didier William was captivated by the cypress knees. He became fascinated by the trees’ resilience against erosion and decay, supported by their immense trunks—some of which have stood for over 1,000 years. As silent witnesses to history, these steadfast trees provide a lens through which to consider the region’s human past, shaped by both hope and violence.
Over the past decade, William has developed a distinctive visual language, drawing on figures and motifs to express the vibrancy of immigrant life. His work features undulating silhouettes adorned with countless eyes, intricately carved into wooden panels. These dense compositions evoke a sense of particles or cells brimming with the energy of sight.
Exhibition views: Didier William, 'Prospect.6: Gesture to Home', exhibition view. Courtesy: the artist and Prospect.6 New Orleans; photograph: Amber Shields
