Emily Mae Smith: 16 Artists to Watch in 2016

Article: 16 Artists to Watch in 2016

(NewAmericanPaintings.com)

Smith is yet another strong painter to emerge from Columbia’s MFA program. My first contact with the work came at Laurel Gitlen’s space in the Lower East Side this past September. It was a fun exhibition to walk into. Smith’s paintings draw from the graphic clarity of Pop-art and digital space to critique sexual politics, gender and identity. They are, however, never preachy or cloying. Like other artists on this list, Smith’s paintings are simply weird in the best, indescribable way.