Artist Feature: Smith Smith
Collage = Freedom of Thought
Most mediums are in the complete control of the artist, partly why they often describe their work or process as freeing. Paint moves freely, clay molds freely, but collage? Although the rigid medium of paper is clearly not as malleable, Smith Smith describes its relationship to freedom through collage perfectly, “freedom of thought.” Beyond the impressive tedious skill of seamless collage art, the obscure combination of familiar yet outdated media usually holds a message, sometimes obvious while other times this message is discovered as we relish its playful escapades. This is why I love collage.
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From the Artist:
“The first bits of paper that I collected and glued together were pictures of my idols; Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix. I was 14 and I absolutely did not want to lose those pictures of them so I started to assemble them religiously. Twenty years later I continue, becoming a means of expression, a playground for my life. I appreciate the beauty of the absurd, humor, surrealism and provocation. I love working in the construction as well as the deconstruction of an image. When I approach the creation of a collage I have no specific technique, sometimes I know what I want, sometimes I listen to what the images tell, sometimes I cut hundreds of bits of paper and other times of the sets. But at the end of the story, in both form and content, collage = freedom of thought.”
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French artist Frédéric Drouin aka Smith Smith is a multi-media artist with a strong focus on screen printing, music, and collage. In 2009, he founded the Twin Daisies Record label out of Nantes. He is also a member of the Maecene Arts collective. To view more of his work, visit his artist site here.