William T. Williams (b. 1942) had a wonderful show at the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery in Chelsea, one of the galleries I always pay attention to. William T. Williams: Tension to the Edge, a Selection of Paintings and Works on Paper, 1968-70 was special.

“The centerpiece of the exhibition is a stunning selection of five wall-sized paintings, four of which have not been seen since 1969; though they were painted nearly fifty years ago, Williams’ singular treatment of form, surface, and color render these works as fresh and groundbreaking as they were at the time of their creation.” (Michael Rosenfeld Gallery)

I asked where these paintings had been all these years, and the woman at the front desk said they had been rolled up and tucked away in Williams’ studio. Can you imagine discovering this? The pieces were stretched and hung, and my photos do not do them justice.

“I always knew that what I wanted to do was to make an aggressive statement. I wanted a picture that had muscle on the wall. I wanted a picture that was confrontational, one that you could not look at and walk away from without forming an opinion.” (William T. Williams)

Job well done, William T. Williams.