BIOGRAPHY
The Model Mutiny including Anthony Le and Ashley Jaye Williams is an art collective based in Washington, D.C., who work in sculpture, fashion, murals and performance. The collective presents visual art exhibitions and performances with a focus on body acceptance, gender expression and subverting stereotypes. The collective publishes a monthly art blog that comments on contemporary art, theory and inspiration. Both co-founders are 2023 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellows.
In 2023, the collective curated and presented work at the 2023 Queer Art Salon at Selina. The survey of local artists included paintings, sculptures and animations to uplift Queer stories beyond Pride Month. In 2022, the collective presented “Summer Daydream” at Legacy DC Gallery. Through paintings and sculptures, the exhibition examined how summer is idealized through images of bodies and sex and how the objectification leads to disappointment. In 2021, the artists stripped each other during a live printing performance while exploring evolving ideas on sex, identity and injustice.
EXHIBITIONS & PERFORMANCE
- 2023, Existence As Protest at Rhizome (group), Washington, DC
- 2023, Queer Art Salon at Selina (group), Washington, DC
- 2022, Summer Daydream at Legacy DC Gallery (duo), Washington, DC
- 2022, Body Autonomy on Artsy by Latela Curatorial (group), Washington, DC
- 2022, Erotic August Festival at Rhizome DC in Washington, DC
- 2021, The Model Mutiny Live Printing Art Performance at Disco DC, Washington, DC
- 2021, Umbrella by No Kings Collective (group), Washington, DC
WORK EXPERIENCE
- 2023, Cranes II, Art Deco inspired crane interior mural for private residence, Washington, DC
- 2022, PUSH Empowered Pregnancy Org art installation – 900 square foot textile mural art installation exhibited on the National Mall in Washington, DC
- 2021, Long Live Go-Go mural – live mural painting for 51 For 51 event at Howard Theater, Washington, DC
- 2021, Qatar America Institute of Culture mural – Interior murals for QAIC headquarters, Washington, DC
- 2021, Taught acrylic painting classes at Femme Fatale
- 2020, Essential Workers mural – exterior mural for private residence, Washington, DC
FOUNDERS
Anthony Le is a multidisciplinary artist and identifies as Vietnamese American and nonbinary. Their work centers Asian Americans and other allies to explore the joy of nonconformity. Le is self-taught and works in acrylic, pastels, printmaking, sculpture, performance and fashion. In 2023, Le presented their solo exhibition “Golden Looking Hour” at Transformer in Washington, DC. Le is a 2023 and 2024 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow, and their work is in the DC Art Bank Collection. Their work has been included in exhibitions at Transformer, Homme Gallery, Target Gallery, Touchstone Gallery, Hamiltonian Artists, Rhizome DC, Legacy DC Gallery, Foundry Gallery, Hill Center Galleries and Popcorn Gallery at Glen Echo Park. They have shown work in group exhibitions curated by Latela Curatorial, No Kings Collective, Monochrome Collective and Petworth Arts Collaborative. Le has received additional support from 51 for 51 and Mozaik Philanthropy.
Ashley Jaye Williams is a multidisciplinary artist who has been working and living in Washington, DC since 2008. They work primarily with fine art, murals, sculpture and art installations, but also have experience in traditional animation, fashion, performance art, video, and printmaking. Williams co-founded the Model Mutiny art collective with their artist spouse Anthony Le. Williams has created art for Google, the Women’s March, DC Public Schools, Commission for the Arts & Humanities, Broccoli City music festival, the Annual Roots Picnic, Long Live Go-Go, The Rounds, DC Vote, Made in NYC, and many others. In 2020, Williams was commissioned by Ms. Magazine to create a painting for the cover of their 50th anniversary issue. They have created live paintings and their artwork has been featured on multiple covers of the Washington City Paper. The artist has exhibited work at Homme Gallery, the Phillips Collection, Target Gallery at Torpedo Factory, Gallery Y at YMCA Anthony Bowen and Tiny Art Gallery NYC. They have shown in group exhibitions curated by Monochrome Collective, Latela Curatorial, Petworth Arts Collaborative, Fitsum Shebeshe, VisArts Center and No Kings Collective. Their work is part of Transformer’s Flat File. Williams is also the recipient of a Wherewithal Grant from the Washington Project for the Arts with funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. They have received grant funding from the Commission of Arts and Humanities in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, and were a finalist for the CAH Art Bank. They created a live painting for Vote DC’s annual gala in 2022. In Fall 2022, Williams was commissioned to create a 900 square foot painted textile installation by PUSH Empowered Pregnancy that was installed on the National Mall in Washington, DC. In 2022 they were also chosen by the Qatar America Institute for Culture as an artist delegate by QAIC in Doha Qatar and visited Beijing, China in 2008 as a fine art international scholarship recipient.