Static series
Smith’s static series is what he refers to as a refinement, a reduction, a purification of what is behind all his work. These works seek to convey the subconscious data that informs everything from a drawing to a sculpture. Something akin to a “base code” that informs his process, it is the culmination of nearly 40 years of making art, A reductionist take on decades of trying to understand what’s behind the curtain.
In some ways these works are similar to what is referred to as neurographic art, but really all they share is an attempt at letting the subconscious control your actions vs the brain. The static series/ process is more organized, yet chaotic and a bit more haunting.
These works are produced by creating somewhat of a lattice over which more random series of markings are placed. The frequency of the marks are something Smith is careful to try to let his subconscious control as much as possible, while following the loosely set guide rails created by the base layer. This creates what is akin to static on an old tube style television set. If one looks closer they will see what appear to be hundreds of symbols, letters, numbers that have emerged. Do these actually convey some sort of hidden message(s)? That may be in the eye of the beholder.
