David Brian Smith: Speed is my superpower
Asia Art Center is pleased to announce British artist David Brian Smith's debut solo exhibition in Taiwan titled Speed is my superpower. The title of the exhibition originated from a conversation between the artist and his seven-year-old son, who had left a note to Father Christmas asking what his superpower was. Acting as Santa, the artist replied that the superpower in question being “speed”. The child's belief in Santa and his superpower reminds one the innocence of childhood and the purity of such undoubtful faith. Speed and efficiency are of the key essence to this fast-paced society; hence one is often forced to make decisions swiftly without having to compromise with the quality of one's work. Whist the nature of concerns may vary this is a dilemma shared by many.
Smith's large-scale canvases carry out the spirits of traditional English landscape paintings of John Constable and Samuel Palmer with a twist of highly imaginative and narrative compositions as well as a radiant technicolour pallet. Having come from a farming family in Shropshire, Smith is known for his depiction of pastoral scenes, intricate and delicate brushworks, and the use of heavily woven herringbone linen, which refers to his family's heritage. Smith's earlier works centred around the subject of shepherds and sheep, which not only reflect on his family history but were also a theme favoured by the Pre-Raphaelite painters, as seen in William Holman Hunt's Our English Coast (“Strayed Sheep”). Unlike the Pre-Raphaelites artists who focused on faithful depiction of nature on their panels, Smith's imaginative compositions take the viewers on a visual adventure where they are invited to explore the magical landscapes consist of rivers, forests, plains, and tall and colourful palm trees.
The tranquil blue hued waters in Waiting for love and Far from home create an opportunity for one to contemplate and self-reflect; the vibrant warm yellows and oranges in Butterfly and Sugar Bay hint on an exotic adventure; the idealised pastoral landscapes in Back in my day and Night Dance amplify the beauty of the English countryside, with intricate webs of details in the skies that lure one in for a closer inspection; whilst the strong contrast between the complex sky and impressive waterfall in Levels depicts the power of nature, and Higher presents the peaceful coexistence between human and nature.
Smith's intense use of brilliant colours and meticulous lines are filled with a sense of reminiscence towards his ancestral history, whilst his innovative approach to the seemingly traditional genre of landscape paintings led to enchanting compositions that are highly mesmerising. The canvases are infused with imaginative details such as tiny figures on horsebacks or wandering and working within nature, as well as multi-coloured animals and miniature farmhouses. These almost biographical canvases portray the artist's love for rural England, his pride in family heritage, and his unconventional interpretation of nature.
Born in 1981 in Wolverhampton, UK, David Brian Smith studied at Shrewsbury College of Art, Wolverhampton University and Chelsea College of Art and Design, London. His work was featured in both solo and group shows in galleries and institutions such as Telegraph Foundation, Olomouc; Albert Baronian Gallery, Brussels; Carl Freedman Gallery, London; Wagdas Gallery, London; Galerie VidalCuglietta, Brussels; the Neue Froth Kunsthalle, Brighton; Cul de Sac, London; Weltraum, Munich; the Saatchi Gallery, London; Benderspace, London; Studio Voltaire, London; Susak, Croatia; Long and Ryle Gallery, London; House Gallery, London and the Eagleworks Gallery, Wolverhampton. David Brian Smith received the Creekside Open Award in 2013 and the Royal Academy Landscape Painting Award in 2005. Smith lives and works in London. The artist's first collaboration with Asia Art Center was the exhibition On the Voyage at Asia Art Center (Beijing) in 2023, and Speed is my superpower is his first solo exhibition in Taiwan.
