Artist Talk: Bernard Williams @ MW Gallery

Chicago artist Bernard Williams embraces a wide range of art formats for the expression of his interests and concerns. The artist has described his practice in these words,

“Cultural convergence and expansive world views are major themes within the architectural structures, figure sculpture, paintings, and singular hybrid sculptures I build. I seek to insert personal biographical elements along with aspects of mass culture (advertising, fashion, sports, comics, television, and movies). My works attempt to address our connections and disconnections within a turbulent human history. Not all the signs and images used are clearly identifiable or penetrable. My formal and conceptual practices involve the gestures of collecting, repositioning, or reshaping existing objects for new interpretations. I seek to develop works and perform actions which share a very specific attitude and atmosphere rather than a clearly identifiable style.”

His most recognized body of work, “Buffalo Chart”, an example of which is on view now at MW Gallery, layers cultural signs and symbols, involving Native American, Hispanic, African, European, Asian and Arabic signifiers, to address cultural differences while addressing modern social issues.

Bernard Williams is an established artist based in Chicago, IL. He holds a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MFA from Northwestern University. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the U.S., and has been represented by the N’Namdi Gallery in Detroit, the Thomas McCormick Gallery in Chicago, and the Ethan Cohen Gallery in New York.

The artist began painting outdoor murals in the early 1990’s with the Chicago Public Art Group. While continuing with CPAG, Williams has added outdoor sculpture to his practice. He has created several outdoor steel sculptures in Chicago and completed the Black Tractor Project at the Arts Club of Chicago in 2019. In November 2020-May 2021, he debuted a large sculptural work in the “Long Dream” group exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Williams has won two significant outdoor commissions: The Naomi Anderson installation for Michigan City, Indiana in 2021, and a large steel sculpture installed at Nate Manilow Sculpture Park at Governor’s State University in University Park, IL, in 2023.

This program is presented in conjunction with MW Gallery’s exhibition “This Bitter Earth: Living in Harmony with Nature”, on view September 12, 2025 through January 24, 2026, which includes Williams’ installation artwork “Buffalo Chart”. This exhibit features artworks from the Mott-Warsh Collection that reflect on humanity’s complex relationship with our natural world, and with one another. Along with Bernard Williams, featured artists include Ron Adams, Bisa Butler, Nanette Carter, Nick Cave, Emilio Cruz, Maren Hassinger, Pope.L, Howardena Pindell, Angelbert Metoyer.

“Artist Talk: Bernard Williams” will take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025, 2:00pm at MW Gallery, located at 815 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502. Gallery entrance is on E. Court St. This event is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Thursdays and Fridays 11:00am – 6:00pm; Saturdays 11:00am – 5:00pm; and the 2nd Friday of each month 11:00am – 9:00pm for Flint ARTWALK. Please call (810) 835-4900 or visit http://www.m-wc.org for more information.