The work that I do and the way that I navigate spaces are a direct correlation to being born and raised in St. Louis […] I feel it is my obligation to use my voice to lead my community in a direction that includes more knowledge, self-love, and healthy vulnerability. There is so much more to be discovered, and so many more stories left untold.
— Nyara Williams
Datiana Guerrero, as photographed by Nyara Williams
Deeply moved by the murder of Mike Brown this series pays a nod of gratitude to the legendary spirit of Saint Louis.
Fifteen foot velvet durags serve as a veil of protection + cape that shields the subjects to preserve what is holy -- life. With the durags caped* upon the crowns of the subject’s head to the base of their feet, Nyara encapsulates the radius of impact Saint Louis natives have on the world that extend beyond themselves- into holy grounds of healing, love, joy and salvation. Williams' work seats you upon the shoulders of manifestations of dreamers and the prayers of deferred dreams that birth legends.
Nyara Williams uses photography as a method to offer an intimate and vulnerable story in the series, Birth Of A Legend.
Hear from the Artist
Nyara Williams discusses the symbolism of durags and cars as forms of protection and security for Black people in her Birth of a Legend series.
About the Artist
Nyara Williams is a 24-year-old multifaceted, creative entrepreneur born and raised in St.Louis, Missouri. She is the Founder and CEO of Black.Clothing, a clothing line designed to focus on Black youth, advocate for Blackness, and give back to the community that’s given so much to her.
Nyara completed her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southeast Missouri State University. Her passion for photography stems from her love of storytelling, community, and black culture.
As seen in Blavity, Real Stl News, and Fox2Now, this creator is taking her talents around the world. From pop up shops in Canada, to photoshoots in Mexico, her travel experience brings another flair to her artistic endeavors.