Colorful creatures, surreal stories and embellished expressions are all phrases that describe Abingdon artist Eric Drummond Smith’s upcoming exhibition, “Big Ugly Hullabaloo,” on view at William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia, Dec. 29 through April 30.
At first glance, Smith’s work might appear zany and indifferent, but when you delve deeper into his influences you’re met with a blend of political science, art history and Appalachian culture all wrapped up in the profound marks of a pop-surrealist neo-expressionist.
Surrealism is an art historical movement that derived from the events of World War I. Surrealists were known for depicting dreamscapes and illogical scenes that allowed them to express their unconscious mind. Comparatively, the Neo-Expressionists depicted their subjects in an unfiltered, highly-textured manner that utilized intuitive brush strokes and intense colors. It’s no surprise then that Smith uses such intense colors and brushstrokes to capture the dream-like scenarios that reference Appalachian pop culture.
Smith intentionally creates colorful visual cues that entice the viewer to look closer, think critically and laugh while doing so. He utilizes vibrancy and humor in such a way that invites the viewer to linger in front of his work.
Smith explains, “I close my eyes, listen to music, breathe deeply, maybe sip some cold water, some hot tea, or a dark beer, and then pick up a thing (brush/pen/pastel) and make a mark, trying to scratch out the thing that is there, somewhere in the mess of my head. The whole thing is rather like improvisational jazz. I’m playing with bits and pieces, scraps and snips, some my own, some from cave walls and museums, graffiti and old newspaper strips. I’m rearranging them, adapting them, looking for themes, looking for joyful dissonances and unexpected melodies. I forget about the world, a little. I talk to myself, and the paint, mumbling and cussing and singing off-tune. I stain my hands and clothes in ink and paint, glorious battle-scars. I only notice later, in the mirror, chuckling.”
William King Museum of Art is open Monday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Admission to the Museum is free. For information on exhibitions or events at William King Museum of Art visit williamkingmuseum.org or call 276-628-5005.
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, William King Museum of Art is a partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Virginia Association of Museums and is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
