William McGee: Works 1954-1977 is a painting/collage show that brings our attention to a talented American Abstract-Expressionist, William McGee, who seems to have been undeservedly overlooked by history. A modest show in size, it’s been very thoughtfully put together to provide an introductory overview. The paintings look especially good here. McGee at first favored darker or quieter colors set off by hard-edged lines that highlight geometry and symmetry as much as color.
With time, however, he softened those lines enough to earn comparisons to Rothko. And like Rothko, the more you contemplate the seemingly Minimalist work, the more ghosts of shapes you start to see inside the stronger color fields.
The show is a nice coup for curators Aaron Cowan, director of DAAP Galleries, and Vincent Sansalone, an assistant professor. Two Cincinnati-area brothers who collect his work, Larry and Brian Huston, lent the material for the show. They also recently donated many McGees to the Miami University Art Museum. So hopefully we’ll be seeing more of him there soon.
Through April 4 at the Dorothy W. and C. Lawson Reed Jr. Gallery. Get details here.