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"Cane", toned silver print (23" x 29"), 1997 Riverside, WA - "My still life work centers on subject matter from nature. Over time, I have become aware that imbued within the subjects I choose to work with are the recurring themes of impermanence and change. For me, the subjects I find to use and the arrangements I create from them show simple truths and ultimate beauty." Japanese aesthetics and traditional philosophy are an ongoing influence in Ken Smith's life and work. Smith conveys, "The weaving of the arts and the spiritual concerns in the fabric of traditional oriental life is what I've found to be essential in my own life. For me there is much more effort spent in tending to the internal and external environment in my life as an artist, than in the making of the work." Smith's photography often incorporates subject matter that suggests the common elements of life, in an effort to encourage the viewer to recognize simple connection to the cultures and world around them. His work often centers on the landscape, still-lifes, and the female form. Like his themes, his techniques are simple and minimal. Primarily, he uses medium and large format equipment and works in black and white, although images are often split-toned or hand-colored. Smith often explores different techniques, including infrared film and pinhole cameras with paper negatives. The grain of the paper in this negative becomes part of the finished print and continues the feeling he is expressing with the subject matter. With regards to his physical disability, Smith says, "It removed me from the 'world' to a perspective which allowed a clearer recognition of what is true; and of the simple connectedness of all things." Smith's work has been featured in numerous publications, galleries, and museums, including the International Photography Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Museum of the Camera, Brescia, Italy. His photography is included in many public, corporate, and private collections. Visit Smith's Web site at http://www.kensmithart.com/ |
