LONDON.- Known previously for her monochromatic works, across different mediums, Smith has recently begun experimenting with colour, incorporating graphite, oils, gesso and acrylic into her complex and immersive pieces. With a passion for delving into the complexity of our existence, Smith explores what it means to be human in a chaotic post-modern world, in which the pursuit of the sublime and ethereal have long since been forgotten.

Smith’s compositions express heartbreaking sadness, desire, and passionate longing. Her process begins with a series of intricate drawings, often depicting figures, both human and spirit like. Smith builds on these haunting drawings with oils and acrylics, producing distorted landscapes with bold contrasting colours. The title work, Fools Paradise is a floating dreamscape of colour, reminiscent of a Babylonian landscape.

In Smith’s smaller works isolated figures with medieval saintlike statures stand alone amongst fragments of their flawed and wounded selves. Brush strokes are used to create isolated fragments, drifting in the wind and settling around these broken figures.

In other works, chandelier-like clouds and other ethereal compositions are drawn and painted with gesso and graphite, providing the illusion of figures that seem to float. These illusions draw the eye to focal points that form the central narrative to these scenes. Smith creates Dantean worlds of dark wonder and visceral colour, drawing the viewer into a vertiginous space.

This is Coates & Scarry's first solo show with Jayne Anita Smith. The artist has previously been exhibited by Coates & Scarry in group shows in 2015 and 2016 and internationally at fairs Art Central Hong Kong and Art Context Miami.

Born in London, Smith completed her BA (Hons) Fine Art at University College Falmouth and now lives and works in Penzance. She has exhibited across the UK, has been selected for the RA Summer Show 2015 and short listed for a number of prizes including the Mostyn Open and the Threadneedle Prize.