Michael Rosenfeld Gallery is pleased to present two solo exhibitions at Frieze New York 2019 which will focus on the work of William T. Williams (b.1942) and Norman Lewis (1909-1979). Scheduled to be on view from May 2 to May 5, 2019 at Randall’s Island Park in New York City, the dedicated presentations represent the gallery’s ongoing commitment to these two important artists and explore significant and historic moments within their respective careers.

The gallery will present William T. Williams: 1970 in Booth D10 with an exhibition that focuses on the pivotal year 1970, highlighting a selection of seminal paintings and never-before-exhibited works on paper from the artist’s first mature series, Diamond in a Box. William T. Williams (b.1942) exploded onto the New York art scene in 1968 after graduating from Yale University with his MFA. Paintings from this time were exhibited in Williams’ groundbreaking first solo exhibition at Reese Palley Gallery in 1971. The exhibition launched a period of great success; reviewed in The New York Times, paintings in the show were acquired by notable collectors; some of these paintings can now be found in prestigious institutions, including The Museum of Modern Art, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and Yale University Art Gallery. Recently, while relocating his studio practice from New York City to Connecticut, Williams discovered an exciting cache of approximately eighteen works on paper created during the same period as these monumental paintings. Crucially, this discovery illuminates Williams’ process, technique and philosophy behind the complex intersection of form and color that informs the Diamond in a Box works. The series is distinguished by an array of vibrant colors, pulsating forms, and complex surfaces that evoke jazz and social dissonance, but that are also deeply personal for Williams. Replete with autobiographical references, abstraction became a medium through which Williams had the freedom to explore both representational and symbolic aspects of his work. Today, the focus on this formative body of work exemplifies and invigorates the artist’s lifelong commitment to geometric abstraction. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery will present these works alongside two major paintings. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery is the exclusive representative of William T. Williams (b.1942).

On Sunday, May 5, 2019, Frieze will present a conversation between William T. Williams and Courtney J. Martin, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Dia Art Foundation. Transcending the Social – 1970 and Today considers the role of abstraction and formalism in an age of social awareness, and will be held in the MatchesFashion Lounge at 12:30PM.

More information on William T. Williams (b.1942)

Norman Lewis: The Last Decade will be presented in Booth JAM3, one of seven booths dedicated to the historical significance of the non-profit New York arts organization Just Above Midtown (JAM), its founder Linda Goode Bryant, and the artists she championed. This special section has been curated by Franklin Sirmans, Director, Pérez Art Museum Miami as a tribute to the pioneering gallery. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery’s solo presentation of the work of Norman Lewis (1909-1979) will feature paintings and works on paper created during the last decade of the artist’s life, reflecting two distinctive elements of Lewis’ abstract expressionist practice–calligraphic and atmospheric abstraction. A 1973 painting–one of two exhibited in the inaugural 1974 JAM exhibition Synthesis: A combination of parts or elements into a complex whole–will be on view in the booth, along with works from the same period that typify Lewis’ signature abstractions and masterful use of color, line and form. Significantly, the booth will highlight paintings executed in rich palettes of blue and black, colors that interested Lewis on both a formal and symbolic level throughout his oeuvre. Lewis’ paintings from the 1970s illustrate the artist’s mastery of lyrical line combined with an atmospheric abstraction evocative of nature, a unique combination that has cemented his legacy within the canon of abstract expressionism. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery proudly represents the Estate of Norman Lewis; this exhibition has been organized with their cooperation.

More information on Norman Lewis (1909-1979)

Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery specializes in 20/21 century art. Established in 1989 by Michael Rosenfeld, the gallery opened its doors to promote the breadth of American art and those artists—known or unknown—that contributed to the establishment of surrealism, social realism, abstract expressionism, figurative expressionism and geometric abstraction. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery is located at 100 Eleventh Avenue, New York, NY, 10011. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00AM–6:00PM.