About the Artist
William Major is a photographer and community art practitioner from Northeast Tennessee. In his work, Major uses the documentary potential of photography to explore the overlooked, hidden, or otherwise obscured aspects of life in the American South. His projects often examine subcultures within Appalachia as well as the Cajun and Creole communities of Louisiana, where he currently lives and works. From the masculine intimacy and gendered performance of professional wrestling to the intersections of worship, ideology, and the built environment, Major’s work suggests that the South is not a singular place but a complex constellation of cultures, histories, and material conditions that continually shape one another. Major’s artistic practice also includes community-based projects with incarcerated people, incorporating photovoice and critical pedagogy to encourage engagement and reflection. Through this work, he demonstrates that art can function as a communal practice that moves beyond the walls that often separate people.
Major received his MFA in Studio Art from the University of Georgia in 2019. He currently lives and works in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he teaches photography and video at McNeese State University.