368:. The majority of Smith's work in this exhibit consists of a landscape portrait painted by an amateur with romantic subjects in the scenes of sailing ships, forests, tropical islands, desert sunsets, bridges, barns, and city streets. Smith also included one or two small items such as a ruler, straw hat, crushed beer can, or key chain in most of these works in order to contradict the setting of the painting. There are also quotes by Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau printed on the gallery walls which further speak to the subject matter of Smith's paintings.
372:
images and texts from the time period such as postcards, road maps, movie stills, and advertising art into witty statements. A common theme in her works is the city of Los
Angeles. Smith acknowledged the fascination surrounding Hollywood as a place where people believe dreams come true in order to comment on the illusion of the quintessential American transformation myth which is also known as the American Dream. Since this exhibit, the Garth Greenan Gallery has held three more exhibitions of Alexis Smith's works in 2018 and 2019.
230:. Hollywood stories, the celebrity culture, advertisements, and Hollywood memorabilia figure frequently in her work, in part due to her upbringing in Los Angeles. To Smith Hollywood is a place fraught with symbols and redolent with possibility, which engenders a different concept of art than that on the East Coast.
233:
The objects used in Smith's works were commonly found on the street, at garage sales, thrift stores, and swap meets, and via gifts and chance encounters. On her approach to collage, Smith stated, "there’s a kind of symbiosis to it—the things, the words, the background, and the objects. It's fused
371:
In a 2015 exhibition at Garth
Greenan Gallery located in lower Manhattan, Smith's works were presented for the first time in a New York gallery in over a decade. The exhibition was an overview of Smith's work from 1994 to 2015. Smith examined American culture of the 1940s and 1950s by combining
213:
Smith combined text and imagery from a variety of sources to explore the psychology of the
American identity. She drew elements for her collages from pop culture, movies, romance novels, magazines, and advertising, as well as the fiction and nonfiction works of a wide range of writers including
209:
From the 1970s on, Smith produced collages, artist's books, and gallery installations that combine found objects, images, and texts. Her collages from the early and mid-1980s focus on entertainment and leisure, while those made from the mid-90s to the early 2000s focus on fashion and commerce.
364:"Second Nature" was an exhibition of Smith's work at the Craig Krull Gallery in Santa Monica, California in 2013. In the exhibition, Smith explored how the concepts of wisdom and innocence are not in opposition as they are presented as in the biblical story of the
234:
into a whole where they seem like they’ve always been together, or were meant to be together. The people that look at them put them together in their heads". Her approach to collage utilizes a mixture of literacy with a conceptual point of view.
127:
237:
In addition to collages, Smith also created gallery installations, which have been described as addressing the glut of imagery that characterizes contemporary life. Large-scale public works include
925:
1062:
175:, and then on the grounds of a mental hospital. "It was just off enough to be affecting," she later stated, "it had that edge of nonreality, of literal craziness".
178:
As a girl Smith created collages by cutting up and combining words and images. It was only later that friends encouraged her to take art classes. She studied with
885:
267:
makes several references to biblical conflict between innocence and knowledge as the installation is a footpath in the form of a serpent surrounding a "
1022:
602:
1052:
1042:
1067:
306:
for its combinatory aesthetic. Smith's work is characterized by humor, irony, poignancy, and a deliberately open-ended message. Her
1057:
1027:
327:
417:
1047:
1037:
440:
347:
889:
287:, Smith attempts to reevaluate the ideological formation of mass culture and the use of so-called classical knowledge.
1017:
859:
1032:
397:
74:
385:
117:
764:
252:
358:
684:
950:
393:
190:, the name of the Hollywood actress of the 1940s and 1950s, and who won a Tony award in the 1970s.
577:
471:
389:
138:
46:
311:
198:
976:
256:
183:
380:
Smith's works are in the permanent collections of numerous arts institutions, including the
1012:
1007:
381:
331:
809:
239:
186:
at UC Irvine, receiving her B.A. in 1970. In college, she impulsively changed her name to
8:
786:
614:
834:
528:
172:
156:
126:
343:
244:
315:
291:
227:
339:
765:"Q&A: Appropriation Artist Alexis Smith on Exposing Ironies in Pop Culture"
365:
335:
299:
295:
283:
268:
219:
709:
685:"A Collage Education: MOCA Survey Traces Development of Alexis Smith's Career"
655:
418:"Otis College of Art and Design Commencement Speakers and/or Honorary Degrees"
1001:
277:
194:
94:
603:
L.A. artist Alexis Smith, a pioneer of art fusing image and text, dies at 74
354:
260:
248:
215:
187:
179:
168:
863:
272:
259:, and a multimedia collage installation "Taste" in the Restaurant at the
223:
551:
472:"Alexis Smith, Artist With Eclectic Eye on American Culture, Dies at 74"
736:
303:
914:
52, no. 4 (1993): 75–74. Accessed 24 August 2020. doi:10.2307/777631.
197:
in 1990. Initially diagnosed in 2015, she died from complications of
506:
171:
and she spent her childhood years living first on a citrus grove in
167:
Smith was born in Los
Angeles on August 24, 1949. Her father was a
910:
Smith, Alexis, and Amy
Gertsler. "Alexis Smith and Amy Gertsler."
926:"Art Review: Alexis Smith "Second Nature" at Craig Krull Gallery"
201:
at her home in Los
Angeles on January 2, 2024, at the age of 74.
152:
326:
Smith's work had been exhibited at major museums including the
290:
Smith's art can be seen as part of the tradition of
California
640:
Rapko, John (May 2002). "Review: Alexis Smith at
Modernism".
147:(August 24, 1949 – January 2, 2024), known professionally as
357:
on several installations, including "Past Lives" at the
243:(1992), a 560-foot-long inlaid slate path for the
999:
710:"Revealing Art With Alexis Smith in the Studio"
151:, was an American visual artist. She worked in
758:
756:
754:
1063:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in California
294:. Her work has also been compared to that of
888:. Santa Monica Museum of Art. Archived from
886:"Amy Gerstler and Alexis Smith: Past Lives"
810:"Inside Art: More Modernity for the Getty?"
762:
751:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
318:as well as her humorous and ironic titles.
504:
678:
676:
434:
432:
430:
731:
729:
727:
489:
125:
1023:University of California, Irvine alumni
862:. Pasadena City College. Archived from
789:. The Stuart Collection at UC San Diego
578:"Alexis Smith, collage artist uprooted"
575:
441:"Alexis Smith, collage artist uprooted"
328:Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
271:". Additionally, there are quotes from
1000:
682:
673:
549:
427:
255:and the Schottenstein Sports Arena at
974:
923:
807:
724:
639:
469:
465:
463:
461:
348:Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
860:"Artists in Residence: Alexis Smith"
683:Knight, Christopher (1 April 1992).
310:from 1985, in the collection of the
1053:21st-century American women artists
1043:20th-century American women artists
981:National Gallery of Art Collections
438:
13:
1068:Deaths from dementia in California
763:Greenberger, Alex (26 June 2013).
458:
14:
1079:
808:Vogel, Carol (26 December 1997).
470:Diehl, Travis (January 8, 2024).
423:. Otis College of Art and Design.
204:
835:"Alexis Smith Snake Path (1992)"
398:Los Angeles County Museum of Art
298:for its use of language, and to
75:University of California, Irvine
968:
943:
917:
904:
878:
852:
827:
801:
779:
702:
648:
633:
619:UC San Diego, Stuart Collection
314:, demonstrates her approach to
103:
1058:American women collage artists
1028:People from Covina, California
977:"Words Cannot Cook Rice, 1975"
607:
596:
569:
543:
521:
505:Grynsztejn, Madeleine (n.d.).
410:
386:Whitney Museum of American Art
375:
321:
118:Otis College of Art and Design
1:
1048:21st-century American artists
1038:20th-century American artists
509:. Journal of Contemporary Art
403:
353:Smith collaborated with Poet
253:Los Angeles Convention Center
65:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
576:WATTERS, SAM (16 May 2009).
193:Smith was married to artist
162:
7:
924:Pagel, David (3 May 2013).
739:. Artspace Marketplace, Inc
556:Journal of Contemporary Art
120:, Honorary Doctorate (2001)
16:American artist (1949–2024)
10:
1084:
552:"Alexis Smith (interview)"
359:Santa Monica Museum of Art
251:, terrazzo floors for the
582:HOME & GARDEN Section
113:
88:
80:
70:
54:
28:
21:
1018:American collage artists
394:Getty Research Institute
84:Collage and installation
1033:Artists from California
787:"Artists: Alexis Smith"
550:Grynsztejn, Madeleine.
390:National Gallery of Art
139:Honolulu Museum of Arts
47:Los Angeles, California
975:Smith, Alexis (1975).
312:Honolulu Museum of Art
141:
955:Garth Greenan Gallery
281:. Through works like
257:Ohio State University
137:, 1985, mixed-media,
129:
382:Museum of Modern Art
332:Museum of Modern Art
584:. Los Angeles Times
531:Craig Krull Gallery
529:"Alexis Smith C.V."
199:Alzheimer's disease
145:Patricia Anne Smith
33:Patricia Anne Smith
476:The New York Times
173:Covina, California
142:
930:Los Angeles Times
689:Los Angeles Times
445:Los Angeles Times
344:Walker Art Center
245:Stuart Collection
124:
123:
1075:
992:
991:
989:
987:
972:
966:
965:
963:
961:
947:
941:
940:
938:
936:
921:
915:
908:
902:
901:
899:
897:
882:
876:
875:
873:
871:
856:
850:
849:
847:
845:
831:
825:
824:
822:
820:
805:
799:
798:
796:
794:
783:
777:
776:
774:
772:
760:
749:
748:
746:
744:
733:
722:
721:
719:
717:
706:
700:
699:
697:
695:
680:
671:
670:
668:
666:
652:
646:
645:
637:
631:
630:
628:
626:
611:
605:
600:
594:
593:
591:
589:
573:
567:
566:
564:
562:
547:
541:
540:
538:
536:
525:
519:
518:
516:
514:
502:
487:
486:
484:
482:
467:
456:
455:
453:
451:
436:
425:
424:
422:
414:
228:Raymond Chandler
107:
105:
61:
42:
40:
19:
18:
1083:
1082:
1078:
1077:
1076:
1074:
1073:
1072:
998:
997:
996:
995:
985:
983:
973:
969:
959:
957:
949:
948:
944:
934:
932:
922:
918:
909:
905:
895:
893:
892:on 4 March 2016
884:
883:
879:
869:
867:
858:
857:
853:
843:
841:
833:
832:
828:
818:
816:
806:
802:
792:
790:
785:
784:
780:
770:
768:
761:
752:
742:
740:
735:
734:
725:
715:
713:
708:
707:
703:
693:
691:
681:
674:
664:
662:
654:
653:
649:
638:
634:
624:
622:
613:
612:
608:
601:
597:
587:
585:
574:
570:
560:
558:
548:
544:
534:
532:
527:
526:
522:
512:
510:
503:
490:
480:
478:
468:
459:
449:
447:
437:
428:
420:
416:
415:
411:
406:
378:
340:Brooklyn Museum
324:
207:
165:
109:
106: 1990)
101:
97:
66:
63:
59:
58:January 2, 2024
50:
44:
43:August 24, 1949
38:
36:
35:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1081:
1071:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
994:
993:
967:
951:"Alexis Smith"
942:
916:
903:
877:
851:
826:
814:New York Times
800:
778:
750:
737:"Alexis Smith"
723:
701:
672:
656:"Alexis Smith"
647:
632:
621:. UC San Diego
615:"Alexis Smith"
606:
595:
568:
542:
520:
507:"Alexis Smith"
488:
457:
439:Watters, Sam.
426:
408:
407:
405:
402:
377:
374:
366:Garden of Eden
336:Whitney Museum
323:
320:
308:Hell on Wheels
300:Joseph Cornell
296:Barbara Kruger
269:garden of Eden
220:Gertrude Stein
206:
205:Artistic style
203:
164:
161:
131:Hell on Wheels
122:
121:
115:
111:
110:
99:
93:
92:
90:
86:
85:
82:
81:Known for
78:
77:
72:
68:
67:
64:
62:(aged 74)
56:
52:
51:
45:
32:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1080:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1003:
982:
978:
971:
956:
952:
946:
931:
927:
920:
913:
907:
891:
887:
881:
866:on 2014-12-28
865:
861:
855:
840:
836:
830:
815:
811:
804:
788:
782:
766:
759:
757:
755:
738:
732:
730:
728:
711:
705:
690:
686:
679:
677:
661:
657:
651:
643:
636:
620:
616:
610:
604:
599:
583:
579:
572:
557:
553:
546:
530:
524:
508:
501:
499:
497:
495:
493:
477:
473:
466:
464:
462:
446:
442:
435:
433:
431:
419:
413:
409:
401:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
373:
369:
367:
362:
360:
356:
351:
349:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
285:
280:
279:
278:Paradise Lost
275:and Milton's
274:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
241:
235:
231:
229:
225:
221:
217:
211:
202:
200:
196:
195:Scott Grieger
191:
189:
185:
181:
176:
174:
170:
160:
158:
154:
150:
146:
140:
136:
132:
128:
119:
116:
112:
96:
95:Scott Grieger
91:
87:
83:
79:
76:
73:
69:
57:
53:
48:
31:
27:
20:
984:. Retrieved
980:
970:
958:. Retrieved
954:
945:
933:. Retrieved
929:
919:
911:
906:
894:. Retrieved
890:the original
880:
868:. Retrieved
864:the original
854:
842:. Retrieved
839:UC San Diego
838:
829:
817:. Retrieved
813:
803:
791:. Retrieved
781:
769:. Retrieved
741:. Retrieved
714:. Retrieved
704:
692:. Retrieved
688:
663:. Retrieved
659:
650:
641:
635:
623:. Retrieved
618:
609:
598:
586:. Retrieved
581:
571:
559:. Retrieved
555:
545:
533:. Retrieved
523:
511:. Retrieved
479:. Retrieved
475:
448:. Retrieved
444:
412:
379:
370:
363:
355:Amy Gerstler
352:
325:
307:
289:
282:
276:
264:
261:Getty Center
249:UC San Diego
238:
236:
232:
216:Walt Whitman
212:
208:
192:
188:Alexis Smith
184:Robert Irwin
180:Vija Celmins
177:
169:psychiatrist
166:
157:installation
149:Alexis Smith
148:
144:
143:
135:Alexis Smith
134:
130:
60:(2024-01-02)
23:Alexis Smith
1013:2024 deaths
1008:1949 births
912:Art Journal
376:Collections
322:Exhibitions
273:Thomas Gray
224:Thomas Mann
1002:Categories
960:30 October
935:30 October
844:30 October
767:. Artspace
665:30 October
481:January 8,
404:References
346:, and the
316:assemblage
304:Betye Saar
292:assemblage
284:Snake Path
265:Snake Path
240:Snake Path
39:1949-08-24
986:24 August
163:Biography
71:Education
870:10 March
793:10 March
743:13 March
716:10 March
712:. MOCAtv
644:: 14–15.
561:10 March
450:10 March
896:21 June
819:21 June
771:21 June
694:21 June
642:Artweek
625:21 June
588:2 March
535:21 June
513:21 June
153:collage
108:
100:
660:Artnet
396:, and
342:, the
338:, the
334:, the
330:, the
226:, and
114:Awards
89:Spouse
49:, U.S.
421:(PDF)
102:(
98:
988:2020
962:2019
937:2019
898:2014
872:2014
846:2019
821:2014
795:2014
773:2014
745:2014
718:2014
696:2014
667:2019
627:2014
590:2017
563:2014
537:2014
515:2014
483:2024
452:2014
302:and
182:and
155:and
55:Died
29:Born
247:at
133:by
1004::
979:.
953:.
928:.
837:.
812:.
753:^
726:^
687:.
675:^
658:.
617:.
580:.
554:.
491:^
474:.
460:^
443:.
429:^
400:.
392:,
388:,
384:,
361:.
350:.
263:.
222:,
218:,
159:.
104:m.
990:.
964:.
939:.
900:.
874:.
848:.
823:.
797:.
775:.
747:.
720:.
698:.
669:.
629:.
592:.
565:.
539:.
517:.
485:.
454:.
41:)
37:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
