Kandis Williams

Artist Statement

Kandis Williams produces large-scale collages that track the philosophical constructs of difference as it manifests in systemic iterations of state violence governance and authority in sexuality, culture, and self. Using the mechanics of collage as a deliberate metaphor for violence, Williams makes idiosyncratic collage images- topologies fitted from visual content of incidents of sociological chaos. Her works are often set against monochromatic gradients, suggestive of deep space and the occurrence of these incidents over time, compounding the horror and fascination with both physical and ideological dissonance. Williams implicates herself and the audience in the intoxication of commodity-fetishism and its territorialisation of land and body. The gathering and distribution of texts and source material for her visual investigations comes out of Williams’ practice as a dramaturg in Berlin over 5 years, “Taking her grounding in theory one step further, Williams often binds her work with a series of “readers,” photocopied books full of essays and excerpts that Williams is currently thinking about, offered as a way of understanding her work. Often these essays will play a conformational role in Williams’ life and practice.”- Maxwell Williams, KCET.

Research on the visual strategies of other artists especially in the medium of dance has been a vital crux of Williams’ collage and performance practice. Her most recent research finds its expression in contemporary dance, a medium that Williams hopes to further investigate, alongside self publishing.
In 2016, Williams, Taylor Doran and Jordan Nassar founded Cassandra Press; producing collaborative artist books and editions.