[1][6] The artist states that his intention toward these reassessments evolves in part from the West's histories of "taking African art objects and placing them on the side of the sofa to decorate, although that is not their purpose.

Commenting on his reexamination of the power dynamics of history and representation, Villalongo has posited, "[The relationship is] problematic and interesting, and I wanted to think about how to use it and tell a story.

"[7] In many of the artist's portraits, bodies emerge from "a tumult of white negative space cut out of black velour paper," in ways that evoke leaves, branches, feathers, or slashes.

[12] Villalongo is one of 42 artists who contributed works to a record-setting Sotheby's auction in support of the construction of a new building for the Studio Museum, to be located on 125th Street.

"[25] The collection of works, wrote William Villalongo in the exhibition's catalogue, "highlight[ed] historical efforts within the medium to rebuff derogatory image culture with exceptional wit, beauty, and humor, to provide emerging, nuanced perspective on black humanity.

"[27] A large portion of the historical works and print media displayed in the exhibition came from collections at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Library of Congress, the Stuart A.