Serving the People and Melet DTLA, a new project space founded by Bob Melet are pleased to present, Fear Eats the Soil, an exhibition featuring new work by Lucien Smith. The exhibition will open February 12th and will run through February 17th 2020.
About the exhibition Smith writes: In 1841, American painter John Rand revolutionized painting through the conception of premixed pigments in tin tubes. This became an important tool for the early impressionists who shared an interest in traveling the countryside in need of an escape from the dominant traditional French painting standards of the early 19th century. This practice became known as plien air painting.
Developments such as this have aided painting throughout history. Today we too practice a form of escapism through our devices. These powerful tools have generated a debate on their resultant effects on society. As a painter I wonder what effect this technology would have had on the impressionists. I began examining the relationship we have with images. When we look at an image, contexts allows us to interpret value and ownership. With imagery becoming abundantly present in our day to day those classifications are becoming less identifiable. Navigating through digital media as a resource I began noticing a subconscious narrative beginning to form. Images allow our imaginations to disembark from the confines of our immediate surroundings, just like the Impressionists once would. The only difference being our journeys are through the gaze of others.
Through this disconnected gaze we are able to travel great distances without ever having to step foot into the outside world. Is this a convenience or a misfortune? Were the impressionist of the 19th century merely painting windows for us to view the world through? If this is the case are we not all painters? Capturing the world through our phones to then share those perspectives with one another? And if so, what purpose then does painting serve in an age where imagery and perspective are so easily disseminated. These questions have motivated me to challenge the notion of traditional painting, it’s purpose and it’s future. Installation View
No Sense of Absolute Corruption, 2019 Lucien Smith Inkjet on canvas 16.08h x 42w in 40.84h x 106.68w cm Dirty Bicyclist, 2019Lucien Smith Inkjet on canvas 26.70h x 18w in 67.83h x 45.72w cm
Bill Gates Pie in Face, 2019Lucien Smith Inkjet on canvas 10.14h x 18w in 25.75h x 45.72w cm
Dentritic Crystal, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 16.41h x 20w in 41.69h x 50.80w cm
Marijuana Chart, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 27.20h x 34w in 69.09h x 86.36w cm
"Molly", 2019 Inkjet on canvas 10.56h x 28w in 26.83h x 71.12w cm
Montauk Aliens, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 6.67h x 12w in 16.94h x 30.48w cm
Rapunzel! Rapunzel!, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 18h x 13.50w in 45.72h x 34.29w cm
Mercedes M-Class (99 Problems), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 23.74h x 32w in 60.29h x 81.28w cm
Little Red Riding Hood, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 4.21h x 3.75w in 10.69h x 9.53w cm
Human Remains, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 82h x 61w x 3d in
731 Lexington Avenue (Charlie Rose), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 4.65h x 6.25w in 11.80h x 15.88w cm
Scrap Metal (Knob Creek), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 51.75 x 69 in 131.44 x 175.26 cm
Trump Healthcare, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 10.48h x 26w in 61h x 66.04w cm
Aphrodite, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 18.33h x 11w in 46.57h x 27.94w cm
Hunter Hollywood Cemetery (Smokers Lounge), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 23.30h x 14w in 59.17h x 35.56w cm
Repukelicans, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 7.50h x 23.68w in 19.05h x 60.15w cm
Trump WWE, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 25 1/4h x 21 1/4w x 2 1/2d in
Tarantula, 2019Inkjet on canvas 6.29h x 6w in 15.97h x 15.24w cm
Breaking Bad, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 10.56h x 28w in 26.83h x 71.12w cm
Flamingo Avenue (Hoop Dreams), 2019Inkjet on canvas 26.12h x 16w in 66.34h x 40.64w cm
"A boat is just a hole in the ocean you throw money into.", 2019Inkjet on canvas 21.75h x 29w in 55.24h x 73.66w cm
Temple of Athena Ruins, 2019Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 70h x 56w x 3d in $17,500.00
Sophie's Bar, 2019Inkjet on canvas 27.15h x 18w in 68.96h x 45.72w cm
Cy Twombly Online, 2019Inkjet on canvas 20.25h x 27w in 51.44h x 68.58w cm
Fitzcaraldo (Burden of Dreams), 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 21 1/4h x 30 1/4w x 2 1/2d in
Breakfast at the Greasy Spoon, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 13.30h x 20w in 33.78h x 50.80w cm
20 Warren St. (TriBeca Studio/Let the Good Times Roll), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 19.86h x 43w in 44h x 109.22w cm
Stretching (Plank Position), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 30.67h x 17.25w in 77.89h x 43.81w cm
Italian Stallion, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 14.77h x 8.50w in 37.52h x 21.59w cm
Lluvia de Peces, 2020 Acrylic paint and inkjet print on canvas 79 1/2h x 57w x 1 1/2d in
Tornado Aftermath, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 21 1/4h x 30 1/4w x 2 1/2d in
"For the Avoidance of Doubt", 2019 Inkjet on canvas 51.75 x 69 in 131.44 x 175.26 cm
Scratchitti (Sam's Restaurant East Hampton), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 21.33h x 12w in 54.19h x 30.48w cm
Fire Drill, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 30.74h x 38w in 78.07h x 96.52w cm
Toasted Croutons with Beetroot Salad, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 6.29h x 6w in 15.97h x 15.24w cm
Paint Chips (More Money More Problems), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 33.33h x 25w in 84.67h x 63.50w cm
Shroomies, Boomers, Boomtown..., 2019 Inkjet on canvas 18.28h x 10w in 46.42h x 25.40w cm
Chèvre, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 26.92h x 30w in 68.38h x 76.20w cm
What happens when an unstoppable object collides with an immovable object?, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 4.65h x 6.25w in 11.80h x 15.88w cm
Wounded Knee, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 22.33h x 28w in 56.72h x 71.12w cm
Pothole Fishing, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 29.72h x 36w in 75.50h x 91.44w cm
Atlanta Fractals, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 60.04h x 39w in 152.50h x 99.06w cm
Iwata Spray Guns (Cleaning for Flood Paintings), 2019 Inkjet on canvas 23.74h x 28w in 60.31h x 71.12w cm
Chocolate Meringue, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 6.75h x 9w in 17.14h x 22.86w cm
Jacquelyn, Bill, Henry, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 11h x 19.56w in 27.94h x 49.67w cm
Kate Moss Tattoo by Lucian Freud, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 7.50h x 13w in 19.05h x 33.02w cm
Tiny Painting, 2019 Silkscreen and inkjet on canvas 3 1/4h x 5 3/4w in
Dead Trees, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 21.48h x 33w in 54.57h x 83.82w cm
America's Response, 2019 Inkjet on canvas 19.90h x 24w in 50.55h x 60.96w cm
