Project Room: Provence: Nick Smith
Past exhibition
Overview
Nick Smith’s latest exhibition in RHODES Project Room, Provence, offers a striking tribute to the iconic works of Vincent van Gogh, interpreted through Smith’s distinctive pixelated colour chip collage style.
Provence evokes the idyllic landscapes of southern France, conjuring images of the countryside, late summer days, and the vibrant colours that inspired much of Van Gogh’s work during his time in the region.
Renowned for his innovative approach to reimagining classic art, Smith deconstructs and reconstructs famous images using a mosaic of colour chips, each representing a pixel in a larger, meticulously crafted whole. The text embedded within Smith’s works is drawn from Van Gogh’s letters and writings from his time in Provence, adding a layer of historical and emotional depth to the pieces. This exhibition coincides with The National Gallery’s much-anticipated Van Gogh exhibition, Poets and Lovers, creating a timely dialogue between Smith’s contemporary reinterpretations and the original masterpieces.
Provence serves as both an homage and a reimagining of Van Gogh’s art. By breaking down Van Gogh’s expressive brushstrokes into a grid of colour chips, Smith distils the emotional intensity of the originals, inviting viewers to engage with these familiar works in a new way. The fragmented yet coherent forms retain the essence of Van Gogh’s compositions while introducing an additional layer of abstraction and modernity. Smith’s technique emphasises the interplay between colour and perception, highlighting how our eyes and minds reconstruct images from individual components.
Among the standout pieces in Provence are Smith’s renditions of Sunflowers and Garden at Arles. In these works, the vivid florals and serene garden scenes of Van Gogh’s originals are translated into pixelated mosaics that challenge the viewer to see beyond the surface. The exhibition encourages contemplation on the nature of visual experience, the passage of time, and the enduring influence of Van Gogh’s work on contemporary art.
By staging Provence alongside Poets and Lovers, we hope to provide a unique opportunity to explore the continuing relevance of Van Gogh through the lens of modern digital aesthetics, positioning Smith as a bridge between past and present artistic expressions.
Provence serves as both an homage and a reimagining of Van Gogh’s art. By breaking down Van Gogh’s expressive brushstrokes into a grid of colour chips, Smith distils the emotional intensity of the originals, inviting viewers to engage with these familiar works in a new way. The fragmented yet coherent forms retain the essence of Van Gogh’s compositions while introducing an additional layer of abstraction and modernity. Smith’s technique emphasises the interplay between colour and perception, highlighting how our eyes and minds reconstruct images from individual components.
Among the standout pieces in Provence are Smith’s renditions of Sunflowers and Garden at Arles. In these works, the vivid florals and serene garden scenes of Van Gogh’s originals are translated into pixelated mosaics that challenge the viewer to see beyond the surface. The exhibition encourages contemplation on the nature of visual experience, the passage of time, and the enduring influence of Van Gogh’s work on contemporary art.
By staging Provence alongside Poets and Lovers, we hope to provide a unique opportunity to explore the continuing relevance of Van Gogh through the lens of modern digital aesthetics, positioning Smith as a bridge between past and present artistic expressions.
For more information or to register your interest, please email info@rhodescontemporaryart.com
Works
