Josh Smith's 47 Paintings Created in 3.5 Days at Deitch Studios Exhibition

From November 25th, 2009 to March 28th, 2010, Deitch Studios in Long Island City presented Josh Smith: On the Water, an exhibition featuring forty-seven paintings executed directly on the gallery walls. Each work measured five by four feet and was completed within a three-and-a-half-day period, creating visible tension between the challenge of rapid production and material outcomes. Smith employed three basic motifs throughout the series: fish, leaves, and his own child-like signature, with the latter often abstracted into pure painting symbols. The artist's energetic brushwork and transparent washes revealed the white drywall beneath, while pencil lines served as the only framing elements for the compositions. Deitch Studios functioned as a true project space for bold experimentation, with this show exemplifying its mission through Smith's playful approach. Some paintings suffered from repetition and fatigue, raising questions about whether fewer works with more time might have yielded stronger results. The arbitrary constraints of 47 paintings in three and a half days appeared to lack deeper justification beyond the challenge itself. Fish motifs proved most successful, particularly catfish rendered in electric pinks and greens, while signature paintings remained weak unless pushed toward complete abstraction.