Mind majick : a study of the paintings by Harry Smith

Harry Smith was an American artist who worked primarily in the 1940s through the 1980s. Although largely an obscure figure in American culture, Smith is most commonly recognized for his achievements in anthropology and ethnology, experimental cinema, and musicology. This master’s research paper is the first in-depth scholarly study of Harry Smiths’ achievements as a painter. Only a few of Smith’s paintings exist today, which explains why they have received so little attention. However, there is enough work and information available to weave together a chronological study of Smith’s occupation as a painter. In this paper, one will see how Smith’s work and interests in various fields of study influenced his painterly aesthetic, and how he was able to tie together all of his disparate diversions into cohesive and unified visions upon a twodimensional surface.