Interview Directory 

ART

Name: Taylor Smith

Occupation: Artist

Residence: Indianapolis

"The focus of this series on luxury brands, consumer products, and wealth is my critique of consumer culture and its impact on contemporary society."

Antiquity v1.1 Greek marble statue painting on recycled computer floppy © Taylor Smith

Do you remember the earliest time you wanted to do what you do today? 

Reflecting on my earliest desire to be a working artist brings me back to a childhood filled with creativity, world travel and exploration. Growing up with a mother who was also an artist, I was surrounded by paints, brushes, travel to museums and the magical world of artistic expression from a very young age. Throughout my adolescence, my passion for writing, painting and photography only grew stronger. I found myself constantly drawing, composing photographs and developing my own film in my home darkroom, painting, writing and experimenting with different mediums, trying to capture the essence of the world around me in ways that felt uniquely mine. My mother's guidance and encouragement were invaluable during this formative period, shaping my understanding of art not just as a skill, but as a form of personal expression and social commentary.

Looking back, I see now that my path to becoming an artist was probably shaped by a combination of innate curiosity, artistic influences, world travel during my upbringing, and a deep-seated desire to connect with others through visual storytelling. My journey has been a continuous exploration of how art can reflect and reshape contemporary culture, blending the familiar with the unexpected to create new narratives and perspectives.

Today, each artwork I create is a reflection of my ongoing dialogue with the world around me, exploring themes of identity, consumerism, and the ever-evolving landscape of popular culture. I am grateful for the foundation that both my mother and father laid and for the opportunity to carry forward a legacy while carving out my own artistic path.

Your recent work utilizes a lot of floppy disks and CDs to draw attention to consumer behaviour. How did you discover this for yourself? 

Discovering my own old floppy disks tucked away in a storage closet was a serendipitous moment that sparked a profound artistic exploration for me. These obsolete tech relics from the digital age not only held memories of software and data but also evoked a nostalgic connection to a time when technology was tangible and finite. As an artist, I was immediately drawn to their compact, uniform surfaces, which seemed to invite reinterpretation as painting canvases.

The decision to paint on floppy disks was more than a creative whim; it was a deliberate choice rooted in my fascination with memory and its intersections with pop art. Each floppy disk became a metaphorical vessel for personal and collective memories—fragments of a digital past now rendered in vivid colors and bold strokes. Through this artistic process, I sought to explore how technology shapes our memories and identities, even as it evolves and becomes obsolete.

By repurposing these disks as painting surfaces, I aimed to capture the essence of memory within the framework of pop art aesthetics, as well as saving tens of thousands of these metal and plastic disks from the landfill. Recycling and environmental stewardship are also extremely important to me. 

Just as pop artists of the past reimagined everyday objects as cultural icons, I saw an opportunity to elevate the humble floppy disk into a symbol of our digital history and the fleeting nature of technological memory. Each painted disk is a testament to the enduring power of nostalgia and the ways in which we preserve, cherish, and ultimately redefine our personal narratives through art.

"The focus of this series on luxury brands, consumer products, and wealth is my critique of consumer culture and its impact on contemporary society."

An earlier series of yours is called "Luxurious Disaster". What inspired you to do this? 

My inspiration for painting this series of artworks stems from a combination of personal experiences, cultural observations, and a focused, critical engagement with contemporary society. 

Drawing from pop culture and art history, my work also reflects my deep appreciation for visual storytelling and cultural iconography. By referencing and sometimes altering familiar images and symbols from these realms, I am inviting viewers to reconsider their significance in the context of contemporary issues like wealth, consumerism, and societal values.

The focus of this series on luxury brands, consumer products, and wealth is my critique of consumer culture and its impact on contemporary society. My paintings may serve as a commentary on the pervasive influence of capitalism and the allure of status symbols in defining societal worth and identity. Take from that what you will. I am neither saying this is good or bad or neutral. But it is a good place to begin a conversation.

Additionally, my incorporation of glitched computer data and visual references to technological failures in my paintings is a way in which I can compare human memories with old, failing vintage technology. This approach not only adds a contemporary visual language to the works but also underscores themes of impermanence and the rapid pace of technological change. It’s all around us.

"I want my work to stimulate reflection and dialogue about the complexities and contradictions of modern existence, rather than exuding a wholly carefree or joyful spirit."

For me, all your works radiate a joie de vivre, is that so? 

That’s an interesting question. Perhaps from the candy-colored tones I wrap my work within, they might seem initially cheerful. But I do not think they necessarily radiate a traditional sense of "joie de vivre." Instead, I think my paintings within this series engage with more complex and often critical themes related to contemporary society, consumer culture, wealth, and the impact of technology.

I definitely do try to bring in a certain level of humor and optimism, even if it does have a touch of irony that goes along with it. My goal is primarily that my artworks be visually striking and thought-provoking, and I do try to evoke a mood that is more introspective, critical, or even satirical rather than celebratory. The use of glitched imagery and references to societal tragedies and disparities is my way of approaching contemporary life. I want my work to stimulate reflection and dialogue about the complexities and contradictions of modern existence, rather than exuding a wholly carefree or joyful spirit. 

Why do you think people are so attracted to pop art? 

Well, it really just celebrates everyday objects, consumer products, and popular culture icons that are accessible and familiar to everyone. This reflection of contemporary life truly resonates with people and I think they find relevance and recognition in pop art depicting items from daily life.

What is it about your art that you hope to achieve with your collectors? 

I certainly hope that my work, first and foremost, brings them satisfaction and happiness every day. I want my work to change their perspective and make them think. I hope it makes an impact and they can connect with it emotionally.

How is it that you studied art in Germany? 

After graduating from university here in the United States, I moved to Germany to study art and also to live and work in Europe. I spoke German relatively well at the time, so it was fairly easy to integrate into a routine working and traveling around. I was also very fortunate to have traveled extensively around the world with my parents when I was young, so living internationally to me was a goal realized. It was a truly wonderful period in my life. I studied art in both Nürnberg and West Berlin. It was a marvelous foundation.

You were in Berlin assisting with Keith Haring’s mural on the Berlin Wall in 1986. Do you feel influenced by him in your art? 

Yes, I suppose in some ways. It’s possible that my work has been influenced by Haring's distinctive style and artistic philosophy. I don’t really think about it directly, though, but it was a formative experience for me as a young art student and I have referenced some of his style in my past work. As much as anything I feel it may be my reference to memory and speaking directly about my own memories of working on that project with him as much as anything. 

I see the bold lines and graphic style. I acknowledge the pop culture and street art aesthetics. Haring’s work often incorporated elements of social activism, which may have influenced my own choice of subject matter and visual language. But I feel that if he was an influence, it was a relatively minor one comparatively.

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Girl With A Pearl Earring v2.0 Vermeer pop graffiti painting recycled computer floppy disks © Taylor Smith