SOLO EXHIBITION AT CENTER FOR MAINE CONTEMPORARY ART

ARTIST TALK - WED JULY 5 AT 2PM

Shinique Smith’s monumental, 28-foot-wide artwork, Memories of my youth streak by on the 23, captures a nostalgic remembrance of youth and the formative experiences that permeate the artist’s practice. It evokes the sentiment of gazing from her bus window witnessing the blending of storefronts and row houses while catching glimpses of her own reflection as the bus zoomed along its daily route. The energetic brushstrokes parallel the movement of the bus, characterized by bold and expressive strokes that echo the gestural forms of action painting, graffiti, and calligraphy as the artist uses language as her vehicle toward mark making. Smith’s creative process is guided not only by verse and lyrics but also by the act of titling her works for the last five years, forming a continuous poem with each title serving as a line. This collection of works in this show, spanning from 2019 to 2022, before, during, and after quarantine, share a common thread of hand, palette, materials, and intention.

Together, these artworks and their titles form an ongoing free verse.

Memories of my youth streak by on the 23 - Quietly amid light and dust - The words pooled like raindrops in her hair - His last breath became a storm - And she wept miracles - Covering tears with flowers - Black marks - Inside the fading sun

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