Is This America? Exhibit
A Studio 2500 Exhibition | curated by Willie Williams
at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
June 12 – July 18
Woolfolk Gallery
Is This America? Exhibit Overview
Is This America? is an exhibition that examines the contradictions between the nation’s ideals and the lived experiences of its people. Drawing from histories of resistance and contemporary realities, the work confronts questions of citizenship, belonging, and justice. Inspired in part by the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer, the exhibition challenges viewers to reflect on the ongoing struggle to define what America is—and who it is for.
Opening Reception: June 12th @ 5:00pm
Featured Work
This work is part of Is This America?, an exhibition that confronts the lived reality of citizenship in the United States. Through layered materials, raw gesture, and immediacy of form, the piece reflects the tension between national identity and personal experience. Rather than offering resolution, the work invites viewers into a space of questioning— where belonging, visibility, and justice remain unsettled.
Fannie Lou Hamer (Historical Inspiration)
This exhibition draws inspiration from the life and legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer, a freedom fighter whose voice challenged the foundations of American democracy. Her insistence on dignity, voting rights, and full citizenship for Black Americans continues to resonate today. Hamer’s words and actions serve not as history alone, but as a living call to examine the systems that define who is seen, heard, and protected in America.
Artist & Curator: Willie Williams​​​
Willie Williams is a Birmingham-based artist, curator, and founder of Studio 2500, the creative platform behind Is This America?. As both the artist and curator of the exhibition, Williams establishes the conceptual framework and visual language of the work, guiding its narrative from vision to realization. Through painting, sculpture, and installation, his practice explores the intersections of identity, history, and social justice, challenging dominant narratives and inviting deeper engagement with the realities of American life. Is This America? reflects his commitment to creating work that is both reflective and confrontational—bridging past and present through a deliberate and unflinching artistic lens. (Image by Alaina Bookman)
About Studio 2500
Studio 2500 is a contemporary art space and creative platform dedicated to advancing dialogue around justice, culture, and community. Through exhibitions, programming, and collaborative initiatives, the studio serves as both a site of artistic production and a space for public engagement. Its mission is rooted in using art as a tool to challenge, educate, and inspire.
What does America mean to you?
Experience Is This America? in person at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and engage with an exhibition that challenges, questions, and invites deeper reflection on justice, belonging, and the ongoing pursuit of freedom.