Dean Borghi Fine Art is pleased to announce our new exhibition Neil Williams: The shaped Canvas, a solo exhibition featuring the works of Neil Williams, best known for his work with pushing the boundaries of canvas shape.

Neil Williams was an important exponent of the minimal and systemic painting movements during his extensive career. Having received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1959 from California school of Fine Arts, he was one of the first American artists to investigate the potential of the irregular shaped canvas. Initially depicting hard-edged geometric forms, in his works, Williams eventually turned to a more abstract painterly style. Working closely with fellow contemporaries of the age such as Frank Stella and John chamberlain, Williams’s work greatly displays their combined influence on him and helped Williams explore various elements in his work. Although he was relatively unknown during his life to the general public, he was well known amongst his peers and was often called an ‘artist’s, artist’. His constant exploration of color and shape intensified after a trip to Brazil, drawing inspiration from the colors of the flora present in the Brazilin forests.

William’s legacy and exploration lives on in his work, long after his passing. In this show, the works on view show his talent and appreciation for his craft as well as his constant exploration on pushing the boundaries of what an artist can do with their canvas and how to create their work. Much of the later work on display, show the strong connection Williams had to Brazil and leaves us questioning what his work could have looked like and evolved into if he didn’t tragically die before his move to the country.