New York artist Lucien Smith, a once‑celebrated figure in the contemporary art world, died at age 37, his friend Bill Powers, owner of Half Gallery, confirmed. No further details were released.
Early meteoric rise
Smith burst onto the scene while still a student at Cooper Union. In 2011, his senior‑thesis painting “Hobbes, The Rain Man, and My Friend Barney/Under the Sycamore Tree” sold for $389,000 at a Phillips auction. Two years later, his fire‑extinguisher‑sprayed canvas “Two Sides Of The Same Coin” fetched about $370,000 at Sotheby’s in London.
Critical acclaim and high‑profile shows
The New York Times Style Magazine hailed him a “wunderkind” in 2013, noting his rapid ascent from makeshift gallery installations to large‑scale oil works collected by figures such as Aaron Bondaroff and David Zwirner. Smith’s 2014 solo exhibition “A Clean Sweep” at Suzanne Geiss Co. explored New York’s transformation during the Giuliani era, featuring reclaimed brooms, newspaper‑covered canvases, and a short film scored by Miles Davis.
Recognition and collaborations
For two consecutive years (2013‑2014) Smith appeared in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. He also modeled for streetwear label Supreme and partnered with fashion designer Virgil Abloh in 2018, when Abloh’s EM PTY Gallery sold T‑shirts printed with Smith’s paintings for $350.
Later years and personal challenges
By 2015 Smith retreated from the New York gallery circuit, moving to a home in Montauk to focus on personal projects, including tracking storm patterns for future work. In a 2020 interview with Office magazine, he described a period of self‑doubt and a “breakdown,” saying he wanted to destroy the façade he had built and confront an identity crisis.
Philanthropy and final ventures
In 2017 Smith founded the nonprofit Serving the People, aimed at supporting emerging artists. The following year he and chef Mathieu Canet revived the historic art‑hub restaurant FOOD in Chinatown, a venue originally opened by Gordon Matta‑Clark, Carol Goodden, and Tina Girouard in the 1970s. The restaurant’s Instagram later announced it was closed until further notice.
Legacy
Smith’s career, marked by early commercial triumphs, critical debate, and a later turn toward community support, leaves a complex legacy in contemporary art. As Powers reflected, “Becoming famous in your early 20s in the art world is almost like being a child actor. We watched you grow up in front of us and take the lumps, too.”
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
