The Skinny Showcase: Sandy Smith

Gallery | 06 Aug 2010

My creative output swings between idea(l)s of melancholic romance, human/artistic striving and exuberant optimism, translated into works alternating between time-consuming repetitive endeavour and light-hearted immediate gestures. Since graduating in 2005 I have steadily worked through artistic mediums, developing a practice that utilises painting, performance, video and text, from a base grounded in sculpture and installation.
My recurring interests in physical/mental exploration and the performative aspect of making were realised in a 3-month collaborative project in late 2008 with Alex Gross. The centre point of this project was a 9000-mile road trip around the western United States, punctuated by three solo exhibitions. Essentially a 3-month performance, it was a literal exploration of human endeavour and failure, modernism and hippy culture, and a jovial examination of the role of the artist/individual in relation to humanity's monumental hopes and ideals.
Since returning to my individual practice I have continued to explore these ideas, with new works in painting, video and audio. These works have explored the 'instant' of creativity and its balance of chance, timing and intent. The appropriation of existing art motifs and styles in a process of 'designing' artwork has played a strong role in exploring this interest.
I'm currently following a path of research combining an interest in the death/void of meaning exemplified by abstract sculpture, awkward desire, Bukowski, and that little spark of love/life/hope/desperation that links human beings. [Sandy Smith]