The artist Lucien Smith has died aged 37.
Based in New York, Smith graduated from the Cooper Union with a degree in fine arts in 2011. He gained early market success, especially for his abstract paintings that came to be known as representative of ‘zombie formalism’ after critic Walter Robinson coined the term in 2014. His practice also encompassed films and sculptural installations.
In 2016 he moved to Montauk and in 2017, following what he described as his struggles with ‘what seemed like overnight success’, he founded the non-profit ‘Serving The People’ to provide young emerging artists with opportunities and support. Last year, Smith worked with the estate of Gordon Matta-Clark and chef Mathieu Canet to relaunch the 1970s artist-run restaurant FOOD in SoHo.
