BIOGRAPHY
Megan Smith, athlete and artist.
Thought provoking, emotionally charged are phrases that come to mind when describing the common theme of this artists work. Through her creativity ; the pain, heartache and suffering that the Artist has endured, in the pursuit of her purpose ; finds its truest expression on the canvas.
Tales of personal struggles, noble triumphs, and idle confusion are what South African artist Megan Smith’s paintings are composed of. The image, either synonymous in tone or all-consuming in color, references individual experiences that have directed, or somehow influenced Smith’s current role as a creative. Her past as an athlete nurtured her love/obsession/craving and necessity for movement in her life.
Movement and its multitude yet to be explored through her IDEOKINESIS series, is also an integral part of her process. IDEOKINESIS, by definition, ideas in motion. With movement at the heart of the process, the body becomes an instrument that executes the inner workings of the Artists mind, and her WHY behind taking on each concept. In an attempt to show what can only be seen and felt, and not explained. A peephole into this intimate world. Passion, pitfall, tragedy, triumph and vulnerability.
Choosing to work large scale, on unstretched canvas with ability to work on the ground and have a perimeter to move & flow around, allows for the connectivity of mind and body, essential to the transformation of the body from the daily machine it is, into an instrument for the completion of the piec
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SUPERFINE ART FAIR NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, MIAMI UPCOMING 2023
AGORA GALLERY, JULY 2022
STATEMENT
Movement has been the main constant in my existence. It has always felt like the only medicine for the inexplicable torment that I’ve known for as long as I can remember. Exertion and the peace that follows it is a constant in my artistic process. I seek it out, be it physically, mentally, or in some cases emotionally. It has been during these highly energy-charged, intimate studio times that I have discovered my authenticity. In terms of painting techniques, I have spent a lot of time mastering the medium itself, keeping the technique traditional. Maintaining stellar craftsmanship, while still allowing the paint to “happen” on the canvas. Oil has been my preferred medium thus far, however, the urgency and discipline it takes to work with acrylic is something that challenges me in that I must commit to the concept a lot quicker, versus having it develop over time. Themes I have addressed and hope to explore in the future are mental health, injury, and identity as perceived through Rorschach cards, ideokinesis, mortality, and lastly conservation works that shed light on the atrocities of species endangerment and what that means for the planet and our future on it.
