Shinique Smith's 'Bright Matter' exhibition at Museum of Fine Arts Boston examined alongside Dewey Square mural

Shinique Smith's exhibition 'Bright Matter' ran at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston from August 23, 2014 through March 1, 2015, coinciding with her mural installation at Dewey Square in downtown Boston. The artist employs fabrics and paint in three distinct approaches: fully integrated designs, semi-sculptural fabric elements, and works that become half-painting, half-sculpture. Specific pieces like 'The Spark' (2013) use bleached denim, while 'Majesty' (2012) features ink and acrylic on canvas with calligraphic lines. Works such as 'There were Sunday Mornings' (2008) include fabric trains that extend to the floor, and 'Bright Matter' (2013) presents fabric as a dimensional element. 'Through Native Streets' (2011) and 'Seven Moons' (2013) incorporate fabric patterns into unified abstract images with dramatic color contrasts. Smith also creates sculptural fabric installations resembling pillars, flying animals, or irregular planets. Her Dewey Square mural 'Seven Moon Junction' (2013), adapted from a painting, demonstrates her ability to work at architectural scale. Philadelphia-based writer Tom Csaszar, in his first article for artcritical.com, analyzes Smith's techniques and places her work in dialogue with artists like Fiona Rae, Mickalene Thomas, Linda Benglis, Amy Sillman, and Charline von Heyl. The exhibition highlights Smith's exploration of abstraction through material combinations that create motion, light, and rhythm.