Justin Williams: ‘Synonym’

Weaving Together Subjects and Environments

In the literary sense, the word synonym refers to an expression which holds a similar meaning to another word or phrase of the same language. In his current show at Roberts Projects in Los Angeles, Synonym, artist Justin Williams plays with this notion by expressing an underlying commonality and humanity between his subjects, through wildly differing scenarios. The Australian-born artist, now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has created a body of intimate works inspired by a culturally diverse life, including whispers of his ancestral roots in Egypt.

I Laughed With Phil About Him, Until He Told Me His Story

Within each of these canvases (all painted with acrylic, oil, and raw pigments, from 2023-2024), there is a dreamy, atmospheric quality, carried forth through a color palette that is simultaneously eclectic and subdued. Reminiscent of the spirit of folk art, momentary windows into the lives of various, unassuming characters, usually caught in the midst of some form of everyday activity, are on display.

This Trap I Lay for You

This utilitarian quality can be seen in This Trap I Lay for You. Here, a bearded, pipe-smoking man is seen shoveling a hole in the ground, reasons left unknown to the viewer. All we can deduce for sure is that the grassy lawn enclosed by a brick wall – which harbors a pheasant and a rosebush – while beyond that, the chimney smoke from an old building spirals across the sky.

Major Arcana, Death Watching Over Jade

Major Arcana, Death Watching Over Jade offers an exotic scene that is at once seductive, ominous, and lovely. Here, a semi-nude lady smirks at the viewer as she lazily lounges upon a quilt-covered couch. Presumably a bit stoned, she casually holds the stem of a hookah to her immediate left. On her right, a tarot reader sits cross-legged at the coffee table, prescient deck splayed before him, while in the background, a painting of a human skull gleefully stares at her from the wall.

I Had Dreams About You, David, After You Left

Although her fate – according to certain visible omens – doesn’t bode well, she doesn’t appear the least bit concerned. Here, we can appreciate patterns in the fabrics, the furniture, and overall ambience of a setting steeped in middle Eastern culture.

Williams weaves together his subjects and environments with descriptively rich textures and physical gestures, creating Klimt-like tapestries of mood and emotion. Through his scenarios of people, either solo or in groups, engaged in various deeds that may even seem inconsequential at times – we somehow sense their meaningfulness without being told much, like a form of visual poetry. Akin to the nature of poetry, it hints rather than tells, and through this suggestiveness, the viewer is left to playfully fill in the gaps of what might possibly occur next in the lives of these strangers.

Cover image: Tap Has Sprung a Leak, This Trap Is Our Trap, and the Glass Will Only Ever Spill What It Contains; all images courtesy of Roberts Projects, photographed by the author.

Zara Kand is an artist, art writer and curator based in Joshua Tree, CA. She is also the editor of The Gallerist Speaks, an international interview series focusing on gallery directors, curators and arts organizers. For more information, please visit the author at Zara Kand.