Among the works Bernard Williams will exhibit at the fest is a sculpture of a race car honoring Wendell Scott, the first Black man to win a NASCAR premier league event. (Photo courtesy of Elmhurst Art Museum)

More than 130 exhibitors will be on hand when the Elmhurst Art Museum hosts its 28th annual Art in Wilder Park festival, a popular event featuring a variety of unique, hand-crafted items created by Midwest artists, numerous food vendors, a designated Kids Court for family activities and more.

The free event, which typically attracts roughly 8,000 visitors annually, is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 3 and 4.

A major highlight of this year’s fest is CROSSINGS, a solo exhibition by acclaimed Chicago-based artist Bernard Williams, showcasing large-scale sculptures (including a race car, an airplane and a tractor) on the grounds of the museum’s campus. Williams is recognized for his public murals, sculptures and paintings that highlight little-known or forgotten narratives in history.

With CROSSINGS, Williams seeks to take visitors on a journey through the history of Black achievements in transportation, agriculture and more while exploring the concept of mobility — both in the physical sense and the human aspiration to rise above certain circumstances.

“I’ve always been interested in history, historical paintings, and taking that into recent American history as well has been a driver for many of my themes,” said Williams, who’s been creating his artwork since 1990. “Being an African-American artist, you realize so many stories are left out of the popular narrative of America. Understanding my own history, things have been left out. That’s why we’re calling the show, CROSSINGS. It’s a range of stories and ideas, crossing history with personal stories, and the objects I’ve put together for the stories.”

Among the works Williams will exhibit at the fest is a sculpture of a race car honoring Wendell Scott, the first Black man to win a NASCAR premier league event. The car’s body features site-specific symbols painted by Williams, in this case recognizing the lifetime achievements of noted NASCAR driver Fred Lorenzen. Known as “The Elmhurst Express,” Lorenzen died in December at 89.

Williams will also exhibit “Black Tractor, 2020,” a large, fabricated tractor created to honor the efforts of African-American farmers in the U.S., and a new, life-sized small airplane honoring pioneering aviator Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to hold a pilot license. The airplane will be exhibited in the Hostetler Gallery, located inside the museum.

“Black farmers, Black NASCAR drivers, Bessie Coleman. These are complex stories with hidden stories behind them,” Williams said. “Hopefully, it pushes viewers to realize how little we know and how enlightening it can be to look at history a little closer. I think the works can remind people to keep looking and working to understand who we are and where we come from. But I don’t want to beat people over the head. I want to make something interesting to look at.”

Concerning the car sculpture, Williams said, “The car is like the ultimate American symbol — people on the go, the good and the bad. We’re all racing around somewhere. I like the idea of trying to make statements like that.”

Apart from the sculptures, several large paintings by Williams will be installed in the McCormick House, located on the museum campus, in tandem with the opening of the museum’s summer exhibition, “Legacies: Selections from the Elmhurst Art Museum Permanent Collection”, set to run from May 30 to Aug. 17.

“As a student, I was blown away by the scale of the historical paintings made in Europe — those massive statements,” Williams said. “So, I want to be a part of that.”

Following Art in Wilder Park, CROSSINGS will remain on exhibit during the run of Legacies.

“I don’t do a lot of exhibitions, so I deeply appreciate this opportunity,” Williams said. “It’s a real honor to get a moment in the sun. When you do an outing like this, you hope to impress people, along with people simply enjoying the work.”

For a complete list of Art in Wilder Park exhibitors, and more information, visit www.elmhurstartmuseum.org.