Even when collecting other people’s items, Shinique Smith’s own artistic influences manifest. Just as the bundles of cloth and consumer items Smith displays came from a variety of seemingly unrelated sources, Smith herself draws upon a variety of seemingly disparate art forms and backgrounds.
Smith, who grew up in Baltimore amid a shifting urban landscape, has no problem infusing elements of calligraphy into a work of graffiti than she does incorporating a three-dimensional element into a painted work or referencing Public Enemy when working with a bleach medium.
For that reason, it’s hard to peg Smith in one medium or simply classification – while much of her work does focus on the consumer-driven lifestyle that allows people to accumulate “things,” she does not limit herself to these messages or subject areas. Her art is also influenced by hip-hop, Eastern artwork, music, culture and elements of daily life.
It was Smith’s multifaceted approach and motivation that drew in Madison Museum of Contemporary Art Curator Jane Simon.
“There was a painting that she had done on the wall with large gestural brush strokes and it was including collage elements of Teen Beat magazine – Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, people like that,” Simon said. “I just think it’s incredible to unpack our relationship with people like that.”
While most of Smith’s work fuses personal and popular culture in a more meditative way, there is an explicit political message inherent to some of her three-dimensional pieces. The pieces – constructed to represent hay bales of cloth, found items, foam and binding – serve as Smith’s commentary on American overconsumption.
“Bale Variant No. 0017,” for instance, which is structured as a large rectangular gradient from blue to black, is meant to be a take on the pallets of unused clothing sent by groups like the Salvation Army to indigent peoples across the globe. Yet, the bale also comes imbued with an intimate aspect. The pieces of cloth in the bale variant include notes written by the artist and friends between each other.
Smith’s meditative pieces from previous exhibits will be on display at MMoCA starting Jan. 21, but Simon is especially excited that Smith has prepared several of her pieces for very specific installations uniquely designed to use the MMoCA space.
“People who know our space will be kind of blown away; it is an experience that changes the show for the viewer,” Simon said. “We change things a lot, but she’s really thought about our space, and there are some things that will challenge our space in a way.”
While patrons will certainly receive a breathtaking visual experience, some local school children will have a first-hand experience with the artist, as well. Students from Middleton Alternative Senior High School and Malcolm Shabazz City High School will aid Smith in installing No Dust, No Stain in MMoCA. Given the flexible nature of these alternative high schools, they’ll be taking time out of their normal schedules to engage in this very unique opportunity.
While Smith’s style may be hard to pin down for some patrons, Simon is convinced that the cross-referential nature of her artwork will appeal to people of very diverse interests.
“Because her work is so multifaceted and touches on so many different subjects, everybody will find some interests,” Simon said.
Shinique Smith: Menagerie opens Jan. 21 with a reception starting at 6:30 and an introductory conversation with the artist and curator Jane Simon starting at 7 p.m. Simon will also speak on the influence of global materialism and its influence on Smith’s artwork and economies across the globe on Feb. 5, at 12:30. The exhibition will run from Jan. 22 until May 18.
