Artist Bio
Products
Petzel Gallery is pleased to present two new print editions by Emily Mae Smith, "Raft on Siren Sea (Day)" and "Raft on Siren Sea (Night)". The complementary imagery of each print references the artist's 2017 painting of the same title, in two unique colorways, co-published by Elective Affinity and Brand X Editions.
Petzel Gallery is pleased to present two new print editions by Emily Mae Smith, "Raft on Siren Sea (Day)" and "Raft on Siren Sea (Night)". The complementary imagery of each print references the artist's 2017 painting of the same title, in two unique colorways, co-published by Elective Affinity and Brand X Editions.
Smith’s recurring use of “The Studio” isher philosophical reboot and revision of the 19th century illustrated art periodical of the same name. By plastering the title across her work and adapting the same Aubrey Beardsley Art Nouveau aesthetics, she assumes certain
authority over narratives that is often afforded only to a publication rather than the individual. In doing so she places a distance between herself and the work that allows her the balance of autonomy and authority necessary to rewrite historical narratives.
The strong graphical interpretation of the journey of Odysseus and satirical use of Art Nouveau letterpress typography attempt to revise the canonically defined narratives of the Woman. "The Studio" series is an incredible work of satire that manages to press the realities of Emily Mae Smith’s life and experiences as a woman artist right up against the millennia of pre-defined canons.