Artist Emily Mae Smith painting process Emily Mae Smith is a visual artist from the USA represented by GaleriePerrotin from 2019. Her works are vibrant and offer socio-political commentary using influences from art movements such as symbolism, surrealism, and pop art. A common theme in her works is the broom reimagined into an anthropomorphic figure. This broomstick figure is represented both as the painter’s brush, which the artist notes as “a domestic tool associated with women’s work”, as well the phallus. It morphs in a unique way across Smith’s works through its facade while exploring matters of gender, sexuality, capitalism, and violence. The artist currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin The Broom ArtistBrooms with a View by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin Many viewers of Smith’s art will note references to historical paintings and the relationship between art and time. The Studio series takes on elements from a famous British art magazine by the same name which established a link between Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, and Modernism. The works featured display the cover page of the now discontinued magazine. The title itself is meant to enclose everything one needs to know about art and acts as a vessel for new artistic myths and stories. The broom-like figure featured in this series acts as an agent for The Studio, inter-lopping and creating stories throughout art history, while also doubling as a literal and visual tool of expression for the artist. The Studio Odalisque by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin The Studio (Smoking Broom) by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin The recurring broom-like figure goes through many permutation and changes, it has developed to become a big part of Smith’s art. She adds character to the broom by composing a close up and adding human features such as a mouth, tongue, and eyes. The Drawing Room by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin Paintings like Big Gulp, Wave Tank, and RogueWave are an example. A 70’s sense of style and big round sunglasses wearing a wig reflects the view beyond the viewer. A new undiscovered realm that is the subject’s interpretation of a visual that is different from that of the viewer. Still life by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin Big Gulp by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin A Different Type of Pop ArtEmpathic Machine by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin Emily Mae Smith did not employ pop art at first, her style was more focused on illustrative, painting, and hyper-realistic. She took interest first in the 2000s while exploring a more feminine form of pop art. Her move towards this style was further provoked by financial woes in 2013, during which she struggled to find time as she would move from studio to studio. Her canvas was smaller and she realized a need to “cut all the fat”. As she transitioned into pop art she began to understand that, coupled with humor, it was an effective way of communicating her ideas. “…the other thing drawing me to pop was that it was so uncool. When I first got interested in the style… it was seen as ultra low taste, and surface appeal was also deeply not cool. It was better to staple something to the wall and be like, I’m smart, instead of painting something.” - Emily Mae Smith While Smith’s works are glossy and glamorous in line with pop art, it emits a dark and menacing feeling. The Gleaner, depicts a surrealistic figure sitting inside a painted coastal painting which may allude to elements of summer, however there is a lingering discomfort within. It is a reimagination of the pose of the woman from William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s The Bather. The Gleaner by Emily Mae Smith. Courtesy: Perrotin (left)The Bather (1897) by William Bouguereau (right) This is significant as the original by Bouguereau’s nude painting was very successful and sold at a high price. Smith in a sense criticizing the masculine nature of art history where most artists were men that painted for other men. Going beyond a feministic stance to art history, Smith’s work offers layers of meanings from the relationship of humans and nature to the idea of a female being used as a tool like the broom. FOR MORE RELATED CONTENT FOLLOW US FOR MORE CREATIVE CONTENT AND EVENTS↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ WANT TO BE FEATURED OR SUPPORT OUR EVENTS?LETS TALK!EMILY CHEUNGCo-founder & Branding Partnership emily.cheung@createcdigital.com WeChat: emily_backpacker JIN KIMProject Manager jin@createcdigital.com WeChat: jin-nebafrom