Charles Simonds' 'Mental Earth, Growths and Smears' at Knoedler & Company explores miniature worlds and existentialism.

From November 3, 2011, to January 14, 2012, Knoedler & Company showcased Charles Simonds' exhibition titled 'Mental Earth, Growths and Smears.' This display included porcelain sculptures, tabletop creations, and hanging landscapes that delved into concepts of construction, development, and existential dislocation. Notable pieces included 'Tumbleweed' (1993) and 'Life, with Thorns' (2011) from Sèvres, symbolizing contrasting feelings of disconnection and resilience. New works such as 'Ruined Blossoms' and 'Grown Walls' illustrated miniature brick constructions in various phases of decay and growth. The larger gallery featured wall-mounted 'smears' and the ten-foot sculpture 'Mental Earth' (2002), which explored psychic experiences. Simonds’ fictional 'Little People' faced upheaval with Knoedler’s abrupt closure shortly after the exhibition began. Arthur Danto wrote a catalog essay on the 'primordial nature' of clay in Simonds' art, while Simonds expressed his existential viewpoint as 'orphanness,' likening it to Taoist tales of miniature realms.