In Kids in America, Kelli Williams’ photographs come to life through stop-motion animation, activated by augmented reality technology. Williams’ work draws on popular culture, referencing movies and tv shows that present a heightened vision of life as an American teenager.
Williams’ depiction of teenage life is filtered through her lived experience growing up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in a community where Blackness was both “a default and a site of limited definition.” Williams explores the intersection of race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion in this environment. Drawing on her perspective as an adult, Williams considers how experiences in adolescence shape our adult lives and uses the physicality of stop-motion animation as a material metaphor for the tangible effort involved in crafting personal identity.
Kelli Williams: Kids in America takes place as part of MoCA Arlington’s SOLOS 2025 and is on view through September 7, 2025.
Images (photos by @vivianmariephoto )
1. “Send in Paolo” (detail), 2022, Stop-motion animated augmented reality photograph, 40 x 72 in.
2. Installation view of Kelli Williams: Kids in America at MoCA Arlington
3. “K.I.T” (detail), 2025, Mixed media installation (found images, handwritten text, photography), Dimensions variable
4. Installation view of Kelli Williams: Kids in America at MoCA Arlington
5. Installation view of Kelli Williams: Kids in America at MoCA Arlington
6. “She Doesn’t Even Go Here,” 2022, Stop-motion animated augmented reality photograph, 40 x 72 in.
We (plus 4 more artists not pictured) are the artists in residence at the new Capitoline Center, a newly designed arts and culture hub managed by @hocoarts .
Just a few more weeks to see Authenticity as Illusion, a collaboration between Rochester Contemporary Art Center (@roco137 ) and the iea. Authenticity as Illusion, featuring artists Jake Brush and Kelli S Williams and curated by iea Director Myles Calvert, will be on view at RoCo through May 9.
“New media, particularly reality TV and queer culture, creates a chaotic, hyperreal digital identity crisis. The self is a fluid performance, warped by societal pressure and cultural appropriation, blurring the line between authentic and edited. Artists explore this, revealing that reality is fiercely crafted, not fixed, and that authenticity is an illusion.” -Myles Calvert (@squirrelpigeonfish ) @alfreduniversity@alfredu_arts@pam.joseph.art@alfredu_nysceramicscollege@roco137@jake__brush@kshantee@squirrelpigeonfish
Meet Kelli Williams (@kshantee ) ✨
Kelli Williams is an animator and visual artist whose work blends stop-motion, photography, augmented reality, installation, and humor to explore the impact of social media and technology on our lives.
Her work moves between playful and critical—using familiar digital language to reflect on the systems and culture we’re all part of.
A graduate of Morgan State University (BFA, Photography) and Columbus College of Art & Design (MFA), Kelli is also a professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art (@marylandinstitutecollegeofart )
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and featured in outlets including Huffington Post, Hyperallergic, Artnet, and Baltimore Magazine, as well as in Netflix’s Cops and Robbers.
She is currently a Resident Artist at @hocoarts
👉 see her work in person during the tour • April 11–12
#2026AOSartists #2026AOStour
Kelli S. Williams’s stop-motion animation “Feed” takes the viewer on a journey familiar to most of us. As you sit now, scrolling on your phone, you’re bombarded with information and just like the young woman in “Feed” it’s hard to decipher what is real or fake, fact or fiction.
Williams says of her work: “Social media is the nucleus of modern society. Conversations on even the heavy topics of politics, cultural appropriation, sexuality, and religion are all driven by it even if you are not present on any of the interfaces. Through animation, photography, installation, augmented reality experiences, and humor I hope to create work that comments on society through the lens of social media and technology.”
View the full 2:57 minute animation at RoCo as part of “Authenticity as Illusion” in partnership with iea and hear more about Kelli and her work during our upcoming, virtual panel discussion on March 26, 6pm; register on our website!
@kshantee@alfred_iea
Thank you all who joined the opening of Authenticity as Illusion, featuring artists Jake Brush and Kelli S Williams at Rochester Contemporary Art Center last week! If you missed the opening, the work will be on view through May 9.
AND join us for a virtual panel discussion with artists Jake Brush and Kelli S Williams, curator of “Authenticity as Illusion,” Myles Calvert, and RoCo Executive Director and Curator Bleu Cease, Thursday, March 26, 6pm ET.
Register at the link in our bio or: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z9dmjKZiR5eRZKMdxl2Q-w#/registration @alfreduniversity@alfredu_arts@pam.joseph.art@alfredu_nysceramicscollege@roco137@jake__brush@kshantee
Authenticity as Illusion / Jake Brush + Kelli S Williams
Opening Reception: March 6, 6-9pm at Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)
Virtual Panel Discussion: March 26, 2026, 6pm
Register via RoCo website or:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z9dmjKZiR5eRZKMdxl2Q-w#/registration
New media, particularly reality TV and queer culture, creates a chaotic, hyperreal digital identity crisis. The self is a fluid performance, warped by societal pressure and cultural appropriation, blurring the line between authentic and edited. Artists explore this, revealing that reality is fiercely crafted, not fixed, and that authenticity is an illusion.
Curated by Myles Calvert, Director of the iea.
@alfreduniversity@alfredu_arts@pam.joseph.art@alfredu_nysceramicscollege@roco137@jake__brush@kshantee
Join RoCo and long-time collaborators, the Institute for Electronic Arts (iea) at Alfred University, for “Authenticity as Illusion”.
This project brings together recent video artworks by Jake Brush (iea alum) and Kelli S Williams that explore the notion of reality is fiercely crafted, not fixed, and that authenticity is an illusion.
One curatorial proposition behind this show is that identity is a fluid performance, warped by societal pressure and cultural appropriation, blurring the line between authentic and edited. Come see the exhibition to see and learn more.
Opening Reception: March 6
Virtual Panel Discussion: March 26, 6pm This exhibition is curated by Myles Calvert, director of iea.
First clip is from “Feed” by Kelli S Williams and the second is from “Mall Interrupted, 2025” by Jake Brush.
Look into our future in March!
➡️ Main Gallery - Anne Havens/Sue Havens - Brings together two diverse accomplished artists at RoCo, honoring each individually while placing their work in thoughtful
➡️ Lab space - “Lifelong Bills Fan” by Paul M. Nicholson which intimately explores community identity, ritualized celebration intertwined with grief.
➡️ Media Room - “Authenticity as Illusion” a collaboration between the Institute for Electronic Arts (IEA) at Alfred University and RoCo, with works from Jake Brush and Kelli S Williams.
🌟 March First Friday 🌟 - COMP Studio artist Sabrina Nichols will share what she’s been working on during the residency!
—> Save the date for Make Art Day on First Friday, March 6! We’re cooking up something special with @magnusapollo that incorporates @cityofrochesterny official mark.
For the last 4 weeks I’ve been tucked away in North Adams, MA at the MASS MoCA residency making, experimenting, and soaking up all the inspiration I could. It’s been such a gift to have the space to play with ideas, try new things, and connect with some truly amazing artists. Feeling grateful and full of new energy for what’s next. Thanks @massmocastudios and @assets4artists for the opportunity!
Hey everyone! I’m excited to share my solo show “Kids in America” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.
The opening’s this Friday, June 13th, from 6–9 PM!!!
Can’t wait to see you there!
#KidsInAmerica #MOCAArlington #ArtShow #OpeningNight
