Writing in Artforum in 2007, art critic Tim Griffin described Williams's approach as "sociophotographic." It has been said that Williams works within the tradition of institutional critique within what Sven Lütticken describes as an informal group, along with Willem de Rooij, Jeroen de Rijke and Mathias Poledna, that investigates the "parameters of the exhibition space." Chronologically, however, he belongs to the Pictures Generation, whose members include Richard Prince, Cindy Sherman, James Welling and Louise Lawler. In 1982 Williams had his first solo exhibition at Jancar Kuhlenschmidt Gallery in Los Angeles.