William Schaff
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William J. Schaff Jr. (born February 6, 1973) is a Providence, Rhode Island-based artist and musician.
[edit] Art
Ranging from the whimsical to the mournful, Schaff’s art searches the boundaries of human interaction and isolation. An abiding theme of his work is man’s inhumanity, whether on a personal or global scale. Much of his art has addressed the Holocaust, with particular focus on memory of the event. More recently, his work has explored the tensions of urban life, as well as consequences of, and responses to, terrorism. His pieces include paintings, drawings, collages, scratchboards, mail art, motion pictures, and comics. Schaff is perhaps best known for his cover art on releases from recording artists Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Kid Dakota, Okkervil River, and Songs: Ohia.
A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Schaff’s art has been published in magazines and journals worldwide. He has exhibited and lectured in a variety of venues, including the United States Air Force Academy, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the University of East Carolina.
[edit] Music
During college in Baltimore, he led the now-defunct Reformation as vocalist and songwriter. Subsequently, he performed under the adopted name Noel the Coward, singing and playing guitar. Since moving to Providence in 1998, Schaff has played guitar and percussion with The Eyesores and Black Forest/Black Sea. He currently performs as the drumming ape “Chop Chop” in a Providence marching band.
