Oil on Canvas, 1979. Signed and dated lower right, framed. 19 x 24 inches. A complex painting in every respect, The Pachuco Cross combines themes of hot rod culture, street lore, religion and art with color, imagination and cleverness perfectly. Graphically appeasing, the central focus of the piece is an apparition, which appears above the site where an awful street crime has just occurred. Two figures (a male and a female) stand to the left of the image above a bruised and bloody body in a back alley. The male holds a tire iron in his hand and the female is shielding her eyes from the bright green light. The apparition is reaching out to the male figure and appears to be awarding him with a symbolic medallion, the Pachuco cross. Above the cross is a crucified Pachuco, pinned by a pair of switchblades. Around the cross caricatures of street life: switchblades, guns, tire irons, broken bottles, hub caps, and musical instruments dance around in a circle holding hands. In the background a billiard sign flashes and a flamed Carson topped custom hot rod is parked outside the front of the bar. The Pachucos were a Latin-American association who gained recognition in World War II after the famed Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles. Their symbol resembled that of the German Cross, which bears its earliest routes in Christianity. The symbol instantly became an expression for rebellion and turmoil and has been coveted by various groups and organizations for decades. Williams grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which at the time had the highest crime rate in the United States. It was a rough environment, were the most respected youths had earned the tattoo of the Pachuco Cross. While a street-smart kid, Williams never found his calling within the New Mexico school system and he eventually left the Albuquerque educational system all together. Williams draws attention to his hard youth through this painting and reflects upon the subsequent street culture. The Pachuco Cross encompasses some of the most identifiable aspects of Williams� art. The subject matter is a blend of automotive and youthful rebellion. The colors are intense and the detail and subject matter are thick and layered with complexity. It is truly a remarkable piece and one of his finest. The painting has an unmistakable presence; one cannot help but examine every aspect of the painting given its comforting colors and immediately conflicting street scene. It is a beautiful work of art worthy of close examination.