Above, Title: Untitled, 36” w x 48” h Below, Title: Innocence, 36” w x 36” h
Prince was born in Ghana in West Africa into a family tradition of working with silk thread art that was nearly four generations in the making. The silk threads of his artwork are the same threads that are used to make Royal Kente, the cloth famously used for the royal clothing for the Akan people. In 1982, Prince moved to the United States to continue his studies in architectural drafting. By 1996, he had drifted away from architectural drafting and, intrigued by his cousin’ s work with silk mosaic art, he began his own preparative training in silk mosaics, integrating the intensive silk mosaic art with his lifelong sketches. Three years later, Prince had developed and perfected this art, which had been carried down from generation to generation, to breathtaking large-scale masterpieces. Prince has developed a style that merged both African and American / European traditions, much like jazz itself, ranging from abstract and spare beauty of“ The Spirit” to the whimsical fun of“ Disney Jazz Club” and“ Disney Jazz Band”. Much like the brass instruments that swing at a Chicago jazz club, Prince’ s works of art reflect the surrounding light with an energy that intensifies as you move. Like the flashy clothes of dancers at a packed speakeasy, his choices of silk shine brightly amid an ecstacy of fractured color with an effect reminiscent of light through stained glass or a lavish kaleidoscope.
Today, the art of Prince Duncan-Williams is exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, and enjoyed in collectors’ homes worldwide. If you are a resident or visiting Naples, Florida you can view the artist work at Eydel Fine Arts Gallery, 800 5th Avenue South, Suite 101.
THE ART OF APPRECIATION 17