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Aaron D. Williams

@aawfulaaron

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a permanent public artwork commissioned by
PRISM: Seeing Beyond Mass Incarceration a project through @clevelandpubliclibrary exploring literacy, abolition, and collective imagination through sculptural basketball hoops that reimagine education and freedom as interconnected systems.

thank you to @graphitedesignplusbuild for their fabrication and installation assistance and to @shootingwithoutbullets and @landstudio for their support throughout this project. it would not have been possible without you all and for that i extremely grateful from the bottom of my heart.

i will name this sculpture Abolisha

thank you to @bperkoski for some of these photos! 📸 taken in Cleveland Public Library by @aawfulaaron

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9 days ago

BTS of my latest project! special thanks to @rhondabrownfineart @mayorbibb @machinegunkelly and the very aawful team for making this all happen 🫡

aawful A for @mgkdaycle 2025 taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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a year ago

Aaron D. Williams, artist and founder of artist collective Young Cleveland Renaissance, also known as @aawfulaaron, took to drawing very naturally. Today, he blends colored pencil, marker and paint to create pieces that reflect on identity, personal growth and city culture.

Williams’ work has appeared across Northeast Ohio, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, MGK Day and in public art displays in AsiaTown. Soon, his installation “Scorporation” will be on display starting May 14 at the @summitartspace’s 5th annual BIOPIC+ exhibition in Akron. “Scorporation” is his second solo show, featuring multimedia displays of vulnerability and transformation.

🔗 See more of the artwork at the link in our bio.

🖊️ Kirsten Kimbler
📸 Korey Smerk, Paintings by Aaron Williams by @aawfulaaron

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2 months ago

sometimes the biggest thing holding us back is the story we tell ourselves!!!

and if you dont take your art business seriously there will always be someone out there lurking.. who will take full advantage of that, for you. 😉

your choice. taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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3 days ago

all silliness aside, i’ve seen plenty of people trick themselves out of their spot by being overly emotional!
smh it’s truly a-shame

before you pop it recklessly online go pop it in that journal beloved some bridges don’t get rebuilt and in cities especially like cleveland, relationships are EVERYTHING.

you feel me? taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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4 days ago

last night i attended the MetroHealth Outpatient Health Center artist opening!

i am greatly appreciative for being included in this collection featuring over 100 very talented local artists.

all of the works included in this project are truly stunning and the curation is so strong.

i know this project is going to be very impactful to not only the staff at Metro but most importantly the patients who will be spending time there.

very exciting to know our work is making such impact in our communities.

shoutout to the @landstudio family for putting this together especially @kyrajwells y’all did y’all one on this !! 🫡 taken in MetroHealth Main Campus Medical Center by @aawfulaaron

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8 days ago

#reels #fyp

anybody who’s been doing this for awhile or that has been around long enough knows what im talkin about.

don’t let this be the reason you don’t succeed. taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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23 days ago

#fyp #reel

and you probably didn’t even know this was a thing but i guarantee you that… 😂😂 actually nvm

obviously this is an over simplified take but idk art elders of the community please check me if im wrong taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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25 days ago

#reels #fyp

oh you my day one now? nah more like a day NONE g
sorry you cant be around me now.

a bit of advice: If yo phone wasnt ringing when you was down and out dont pick that mf up for them when you start winning! 🗣️

they wasnt in the gym with you!!! taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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a month ago

#reels #fyp

this concept was one of the major factors that lead to me putting myself on.

surely people can help us with our perspective but ultimately the work falls on US to do.

it doesnt matter if you play super mario world or call of duty. the principle remains. YOU THE PLAYER G 🎮

[gamify your vision, play smart, level up] taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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a month ago

the reference,

and may my impact on the culture be fully understood before im gone

amen. by @aawfulaaron

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a month ago

#reels #fyp

if you can’t control the terms and conditions surrounding your situation you’re not an owner.

as creatives we should seriously consider how to position ourselves.

“the artist gets a chain, but the executive gets a much bigger chain.”

dont hate the player g. its the game fr 🤷🏾‍♂️

it’s all about what you want.

me personally, i didnt do ALL OF THIS for no small piece 🥧
and that’s one thing you gotta know about AA

[lock in, ownership, proper preparation prevents poor perfromance] taken in Cleveland, Ohio by @aawfulaaron

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a month ago