Blindness
This emotional depth is not theoretical; it is hard-earned. In 2011, a devastating fire consumed Willey’s home, studio, and personal archive—an incalculable loss of both physical and creative memory. Rather than retreat, Willey undertook a slow, painful, and ultimately transformative process of rebuilding. His resilience is not merely biographical—it is embedded in the work itself, in every hand-developed print, in every image sewn together with fabric and feeling. This recovery marked a turning point in Willey’s career, strengthening his commitment to analog processes as a form of cultural repair and artistic integrity.
Sterling further reflects on this journey, offering profound insight into the symbolic and cultural weight of Willey’s experience:
“The survival of a single film negative from the fire is emblematic—not only of Willey’s personal resilience but of the enduring power of analog photography to transcend loss and bridge cultural divides. It is a testament to the artist’s faith in the image as a vessel of memory and healing. That one negative, fragile yet unbroken, becomes a metaphor for cultural survival—reminding us that art, like life, is fragile but persistent, and that in the act of witnessing, we find a shared humanity.”-Alexandra Sterling (Curator and interior designer)
Blindness- Francis A Willey © (2006) Silver Gelatin Print
The 35mm B&W film photograph entitled 'Blindness' has had a profound political and social commentary, through many interpretations and appropriationism. By deliberate "borrowing". His photograph Blindness has had re-interpretations in a multitude of languages, social, political and religious contexts and ideologies and memes. Also has been used for medical, psychological and surgical papers on the subject of blindness or physical blindness. As a defining cultural image to various blogs, educational papers or been a companion to poetry, verse and novels and theatrical and dance productions. Blindness is used to represent many facets of life as an iconic symbol for freedom. Blindness has been graffitied on delivery trucks, walls, painted, re-drawn, sketched, collaged and juxtaposed with text and is continuously re-interpreted and appropriated and recontextualized.
Willey feels it is very important to bridge all cultures and build a better compassion for all cultures by creating art to break down walls and open up a deeper dialogue.
Blindness was exhibited at Rush Arts Gallery in New York City as apart of the ETHICS AND JUSTICE Exhibition Curated by Julie Ashcraft in May 2014.
Blindness-2006
Signed and numbered by artist
16x20
BLINDNESS
Edition A of 50
Homages
Appropriation
Memes & Expression
BLINDNESS
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16x20 Gallery8
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42x63
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