Carrie Mae Smith, In the Collection of…

About

The works in this exhibition feature images of porcelain dinnerware pieces that are part of the collections at the Locust Grove Estate Historic House Museum in Poughkeepsie, NY. Small in scale these oil paintings on Mylar mounted on panel continue Smith’s exploration of historic objects, investigating how they lose value and social status and ultimately become inert markers of cultural change.

Smith explores the less visible objects in this historic house, highlighting the pieces that have been tucked away inside china cupboards and linen drawers—once used for lively dinner parties, now quietly stored away. Depicted in-situ, the objects emerge from the depths of their cupboards; lavishly painted with thin, yet opaque gestural brush strokes. Highlighted in Smith’s paintings, the deep blues and warm whites of the Canton China pieces at the Locust Grove Estate are set against enigmatic shadows. This dramatic use of light imbues the objects with enhanced importance, elevating their status and allowing for a renewed understanding of their cultural significance.

The exhibition’s title, In the Collection of…, refers to the cycle of collecting: how objects are made, used, stored, passed on and ultimately archived into collections. This body of work depicts a variety of fine china from the 18-19th centuries, collected by the Young family, who inhabited the Locust Grove Estate through the 1970s. Smith’s interest in antiques and their ability to connect us to history come to light in her agile painterly execution, a command of animated mark making, depictions of perspective, and use of color. The significance of historical objects may be assumed, however, as paintings, Smith re-evaluates these objects and creates images that channel the sublime, re-animating these objects and ultimately offering us the opportunity to continue the cycle of collecting.

Smith’s current exhibition In the Collection Of… will be on view at the Transverse Gallery at the Locust Grove Estate Museum and Gardens from September 27- January 16, 2022, with a concurrent online exhibition with Lowell Ryan Projects from October 9- November 6, 2021 featuring a selection of the works.