Greg Parma Smith

Greg Parma Smith creates paintings that explore the intersection of high and low culture. His work juxtaposes depictions of cartoon characters and graffiti tags with references to the history of painting. For instance, Parma Smith engages with the tradition of trompe-l'œil in Door gods (origami paper): Inward and outside, which depicts a stack of origami papers with cartoons of dogs and hooded figures embedded within a more traditional pattern. In previous exhibitions, he has juxtaposed academic figure painting with cartoon caricatures. Through these comparisons, he reworks notions of Pop Art by merging mass culture with contemporary painting.

Greg Parma Smith’s work has been included in group and solo shows internationally, including Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis, Swiss Institute, New York, MoMA PS1, New York, White Columns, New York, Metro Pictures, New York, MiArt, Milan, and High Art, Paris. He has performed at NBK, Berlin, Greene Naftali, New York, and Issue Project Room, New York.