Anj Smith in Conversation with William Feaver

Anj Smith collapses traditional definitions of portraiture, landscape and still life, allowing elements of each to coexist simultaneously. When researching her paintings, Smith draws on a diverse range of sources. Psychological states, nature, fashion subcultures and the history of painting are just a few of the layered references operating within her works. Smith writes: ‘Difficulties in identifying and separating out phenomena aren’t artificially simplified but embraced in all their complexities. Thresholds are hard to determine; clouds in the sky are indistinguishable from the scum washed up with the surf’.