Josh Smith in conversation with Anne Pontégnie

Josh Smith is known for an oeuvre that is as diverse as it is distinctive. Encompassing oils, drawings, prints, posters, artist books and sculptures, some of which are representational, others of which are abstract, Smith’s output varies widely but is always possessed of an innate coherence. No matter what he paints, or makes, his work is always recognizably ‘his’. It was this, in part, that inspired one of his best-known series, the so-called ‘name paintings’. This involved Smith painting his name onto canvases, constantly varying the colours, manner or technique, as a wry comment on the traditional importance of the artist’s signature on a work of art and the concept of a ‘signature’ artistic style.