Josh Smith

Bonner Kunstverein announces an exhibition of new paintings and ceramics by the American artist Josh Smith. The exhibition is Smith’s first solo exhibition in Germany.

Drawing upon a broad range of traditions in painting, both figurative and abstract, Josh Smith’s output is diverse whilst remaining stylistically distinct. His fluid, dynamic compositions are characterised by their expressive brushstrokes, calligraphic line and intensity of colour. This latest body of work comprises both abstract and representational paintings in two distinct groups that were developed at the same time. They will be presented together with over 60 small ceramic sculptures that were made over the past two years. Representing a broad range of subjects that encompass both the familiar and prosaic as well as the exotic and macabre, these sculptures include studies of leaves, armadillos, palm trees, volcanoes, swamps, basketballs, bottles of vodka and anti-freeze, severed hands and internal organs.

Josh Smith (b. 1976, Okinawa) studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee and Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Solo exhibitions of his work have been presented at Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rome (2015); De Hallen Haarlem, Haarlem and Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève, Geneva (both in 2009) and the Museum of Modern Art, Ludwig Foundation (MUMOK), Vienna (2008). His work has featured in significant international surveys including The Forever Now: Contemporary Painting in an Atemporal World at the Museum of Modern Art New York (2014); The Painting Factory: Abstraction after Warhol at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012) and the 54th Venice Biennale (2011). Smith’s work is also part of Painting 2.0: Expression in the Information Age, currently at the Brandhorst Museum, Munich. His paintings are held in public collections at the Centre Pompidou, Paris; Museum of Modern Art, Ludwig Foundation (MUMOK), Vienna; the Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. 

The exhibition is sponsored by Volksbank Bonn Rhein-Sieg.

Exhibition talk
A tour of the exhibition led by Achim Hochdörfer, Director of the Brandhorst Museum, Munich and Michelle Cotton, Director of the Bonner Kunstverein will take place shortly before the exhibition opening on Friday, January 29 at 6pm.

Limited edition print
Smith’s limited edition “announcement painting” is offered for sale exclusively to Bonner Kunstverein members:

Josh Smith
Untitled, 2016
Acrylic silkscreen on Stonehenge paper
Edition of 26
56.5 x 45.7 cm, signed and numbered

Members of the Bonner Kunstverein provide essential support to the institution by paying an annual subscription. To enquire about becoming a member email: kontakt [​at​] bonner-kunstverein.de 
To view the 2015 catalogue of editions and Jahresgaben follow this link.

Press: Riccarda Hessling, Assistant Curator T +49 228 693936 / r.hessling [​at​] bonner-kunstverein.de