Jawsh Smyth

I construct vibrant, pop-surreal depictions of introspection through a recurring alter ego called Melting Man, to help navigate and address contemporary issues related to global warming, mental health, and digital overload. With this existential, abstract avatar as a focal point, I render scenes and portraits that explore a physical reality growing more unstable, and a virtual world that is both alluring and alienating. Polymorphic, and comprised of amorphous blobs, Melting Man has various states of being, both conceptually and in the mediums I work with. My art is a quest to unlock creative potential, overcome self doubt, and transform fear and stress into an alchemy of colorful meditations for an uncertain future.

My drawing, “Quarandream,” is a triptych created during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I have depicted a surreal and intricate scene indoors, to encapsulate the myriad of heightened emotions and circumstances related to enduring the experience of lockdown and sheltering in place.