Keithsmith postcards catalog2017

B R U C E S I LV E R S T E I N

KEITH A. SMITH: The Postcards, 1965-Present

529 Wes t 20th St re e t

N e w Yo r k NY 1 0 0 1 1 T 2 1 2 6 2 7 3 9 3 0

w w w. b r u ce s i l ve r s te i n . com

KEITH A. SMITH: The Postcards, 1965 - Present March 9 - May 6, 2017 Opening Reception: Thursday March 9, 6-8pm 529 W 20th Street, New York “… the best reason to make art–to reach others, and sometimes to connect with yourself, decades later.”

Bruce Silverstein is pleased to present Keith A. Smith: The Postcards, 1965-Present, the first exhibition dedicated to the artist’s hand-made cards created over the last five decades. Following Book by Book (2011), and The Fabric Works 1964 - 1980 (2015), this exhibition is the third presentation of this acclaimed artist’s work to be held at the gallery.

World-renowned for his innovative book making practice and lifelong interest in experimenting with new materials and processes, Smith has been thoughtfully creating these personalized cards as a way of remaining in touch ever since he was in school. These multi-layered works, rendered in small-scale are often created on postcard stock, using photographic negatives and prints, incorporating delicately-applied postage stamps and hand-sewn envelopes. Coming directly out of his archive, these intimate objects were meticulously crafted employing the various techniques used throughout Smith’s work–collage, hand coloring, and machine sewing. Many also revisit images from his prints, photographs and the pages of his books. Yet unlike the artist’s hand-bound books or works on fabric, these postcards were made as a special means of conveying and maintaining friendship. Sending such hand-made cards is his way of staying connected through a few words and a picture, much as an e-mail today.

Since his days in university, Smith opted to make these postcards typically 5 x 7 inches, approximately the size of his own hand, as he saw them as a way of touching people.

For over 50 years, I have made postcards of text, of pictures, and text with pictures.

Traditional prints can say some things, books can speak through movement, and postcards have their unique abilities to reach people as well. I don’t think of any of these as “art” but as my voice.

Keith A. Smith, 2017 Smith’s life-long pursuit of hand-crafting and sending his postcards out into the world shares a sensibility with the tradition of mail art exemplified by groundbreaking Pop artist Ray Johnson. Johnson championed mail art as a viable form of artistic expression, merging his identity with his community by producing and disseminating art through mail. With similar intent as Smith, Aaron Siskind was also known to send small mounted gelatin silver prints every holiday season to friends and family. While postcards may have become a lost form of communication for many in the digital age, for Smith, there is something quite special weaved through these precious pieces, something worth sharing and reflecting upon, several decades later.

Keith A. Smith’s work is in the collections of leading international public and private collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Morgan Library, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum of Modern Art, New York; The New York Public Library; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Please contact the gallery at inquiries@brucesilverstein.com or 212.627.3930 for more information.

Join us on Twitter @BSG_NYC, Instagram @brucesilverstein, Facebook, and Google+. #brucesilverstein #keithsmith #thepostcards

Margaret Turning Her Head, 1965 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 3/4 x 10 7/8 in. (12.1 x 27.6 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Envelope with film negative, machine sewing and postage stamp KSM-00340-SP 1

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18 May, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 3 5/8 x 6 1/2 in. (9.2 x 16.5 cm) Signed and dated on verso Envelope with film negative, machine sewing and postage stamp KSM-00341-SP 3

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Eisenhower 2; 8 PM, 20 Aug, 1972 Mixed media 4 x 6 in. (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with watercolor, pencil and postage stamps KSM-00343-SP 5

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20 May, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 7 3/4 x 4 3/4 in. (19.7 x 12.1 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope, half-tone color print and postage stamp with machine sewing KSM-00389-SP 7

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7:12PM, 24 Dec, 1971 Mixed media 4 3/8 x 5 9/16 in. (11.1 x 14.1 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with cutout postage stamp KSM-00345-SP 9

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Larry McPherson at My House on Loomis Street, March 1975, Prior to My Move to Rochester, 1975 Mixed media with machine sewing 6 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (17.5 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated with pencil drawing and cut out postage stamps verso Flexichromes applied with brush, ball point pen, and colored pencil with machine sewing recto KSM-00348-SP 11

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Sometime Autumn, 1971 Mixed media 3 5/8 x 6 1/2 in. (9.2 x 16.5 cm) Signed, dated and annotated ‘Sometime Autumn 1971’ on verso Envelope with cutout postage stamps and pencil KSM-00344-SP 13

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Lather was Thirty Years Old Today, 11:35 PM, 18 Mar, 1973 Mixed media with machine sewing 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed and dated on recto Gelatin silver print with watercolor and machine sewing KSM-00349-SP 15

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7:10 pm, 24 Dec, 1971 Mixed media 4 3/8 x 5 9/16 in. (11.1 x 14.1 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with cutout postage stamp KSM-00346-SP 17

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Harold Allen, 9:57AM, 6 Sep 72; 23 Jan 73, 1972-1973 Mixed media 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated on verso Envelope with solarized gelatin silver print and collaged elements recto Postage stamp verso KSM-00351-SP 19

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11PM 21 Jan, 1972 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 x 5 7/8 in. (10.2 x 14.9 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with gelatin silver print and machine sewing and postage stamp KSM-00347-SP 21

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Silent Landscape, 10 Nov, 1978 Mixed media with machine sewing 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed and dated on recto Gelatin silver print with watercolor, pencil and machine sewing KSM-00350-SP 23

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Philip, 16 May, 1978 Mixed media 6 x 8 in. (15.2 x 20.3 cm), Each: 6 x 3 7/8 in.

Signed, titled, dated and annotated ‘Philip Photographed with my 8x10 view camera’ in pencil with postage stamps on verso Gelatin silver prints with watercolor recto KSM-00352-SP 25

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Dan Davidson from Book 22; 20 May, 1971 Mixed media with hand sewing 9 3/4 x 7 1/2 in. (24.8 x 19.1 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Annotated with postage stamps on verso Gelatin silver print with pencil and hand sewing KSM-00353-SP 27

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Two Boys Sleeping on a Greyhound Bus, Nov, 1978 Mixed media with machine sewing 9 3/4 x 7 1/2 in. (24.8 x 19.1 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Stitched negative with stamps KSM-00354-SP 29

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Robert Gave Me a Tiger Quilt; 18 Apr, 1973 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 3/4 x 6 1/2 in. (12.1 x 16.5 cm) Signed and dated on recto Titled on verso KSM-00355-SP 31

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19 May, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 in. (12.1 x 12.1 cm) Signed and dated on verso Film negative with machine stitching and collage elements KSM-00356-SP 33

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Mark My Words, 20 March, 1973 Mixed media with machine sewing 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto, annotated on verso Gelatin silver print with pencil, collage elements and machine sewing KSM-00357-SP 35

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The Mask of the Artist, 9 Sep, 1972 Mixed media with pencil and mixed media 3 5/8 x 5 1/2 in. (9.2 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Inscribed “To Brian Miller, Wherever you are,� on verso Cyanotypes with watercolor, pencil and postage stamps KSM-00358-SP 37

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16 May, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 5/8 x 4 5/8 in. (11.8 x 11.8 cm) Signed and dated on verso Envelope with Ballpoint pen, collage elements and machine sewing KSM-00359-SP 39

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Nixon’s So Smart We Shit Bombs; 15 August, 1972 Mixed media 4 x 9 1/2 in. (10.2 x 24.1 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Annotated “Prices of Corpses” on verso Envelope with watercolor, pencil and postage stamps KSM-00360-SP 41

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Letter to Scott and Mariana, 1972 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 1/8 x 9 3/8 in. (10.5 x 23.8 cm) Signed, titled and dated on verso Envelope with check, ballpoint pen, machine sewing and postage stamp KSM-00361-SP 43

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Eisenhower 3; 14 Aug 1972, 8:50 P.M., 1972 Mixed media with hand sewing 4 x 6 in. (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with pencil, postage stamps and hand sewing KSM-00367-SP 45

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20 May, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 6 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (15.9 x 11.4 cm) Signed, dated and annotated on recto, signed and dated on verso Envelope with hand-colored gelatin silver print, pencil, collage elements and machine sewing KSM-00362-SP 47

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“Double picture inside as visual letter to myself�

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Keith, 1975 Mixed media in two parts 3 7/8 x 7 in. (9.8 x 17.8 cm) Signed and dated on recto Card with film negative, pencil and machine sewing Envelope with film negative, adhesive, ballpoint pen and postage stamp KSM-00363-SP 49

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6 Feb, 1972 Mixed media 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 in. (8.2 x 13.9 cm) Signed and dated on recto Postcard with screen printing and pencil KSM-00364-SP 51

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Face of Facing Rejection, July, 1972 Mixed media with machine sewing 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (8.9 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto, annotated on verso Film-positive, cyanotype, watercolor, pencil and postage stamp with machine sewing KSM-00365-SP 53

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12 June, 1972 Cyanotype 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 in. (14 x 8.3 cm) Signed and dated on verso Signed, dated and annotated “Oglesbee� on verso KSM-00366-SP 55

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Eisenhower, 16 Aug 72, 10:10 P.M., 1972 Mixed media 4 x 6 in. (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Signed and dated on recto Envelope with pencil, ball-point, cut-out, collage including card with pencil inserted KSM-00368-SP 57

card

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Looking at Myself, 9:06 AM; 18 Mar, 1973 Mixed media 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed, titled and dated on verso Cyanotype on card with watercolor, pencil and cut out postage stamp KSM-00369-SP 59

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Hokusai And Eye Bring You These Irises; 31 May, 2007 Archival pigment print in two parts Overall: 8 x 11 3/4 in. (20.3 x 29.8 cm), Each: 8 x 6 in.

Signed and titled on recto Signed and dated with postage stamps on verso KSM-00370-SP 61

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63

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Home Sweet Home, Two Rooms... a Studio and a Darkroom, 5:09 P.M.19 Mar, 1973 Mixed media with machine sewing 7 x 5 1/2 in. (17.8 x 14 cm) Signed, titled, and dated on recto Gelatin silver print with pencil and machine sewing KSM-00371-SP 65

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Philip’s Foot; 25 January, 1981 Gelatin silver prints, collaged with machine sewing in eight parts Overall: 13 3/4 x 10 3/4 in. (34.9 x 27.3 cm), Each: 3 3/8 x 5 3/8 in Signed, titled, dated on recto; Annotated, with pencil drawing and postage stamps on verso KSM-00372-SP 67

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Ike with Hair; 10 August 1972, 10:31 A.M., 1972 Mixed media 11 x 9 in. (27.9 x 22.9 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Sheet of postage stamps with ball point pen KSM-00373-SP 69

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Figure from Book 32, 23 May, 2013 Mixed media 8 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (21.6 x 19.1 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Archival pigment print with postage stamp collage KSM-00376-SP 71

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Vanity Mirror, 14 July 1969, 2:35 P.M., 1969 Mixed media with hand sewing 6 1/2 x 5 3/8 in. (16.5 x 13.7 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Gelatin silver print with watercolor, postage stamp and hand sewing KSM-00378-SP 73

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In Our Dining Room; Saturday, 23 May 2013, 4:30 P.M., 2013 Mixed media 7 1/2 x 8 in. (19.1 x 20.3 cm) Signed, titled and dated on recto Archival pigment print with postage stamps KSM-00377-SP 75

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Keith on Calle Garcia Vigil, Oaxaca, 2016 Archival pigment print 5 x 8 3/4 in. (12.7 x 22.2 cm) Signed, titled and dated on verso KSM-00379-SP 77

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Tired and Giddy; Friday, 3 June, 2016 Mixed media 7 1/8 x 11 in. (18.1 x 27.9 cm) Signed, titled and dated on verso Archival pigment print with postage stamp collage KSM-00381-SP 79

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2016 Variation on a 1965 B&W Self Portrait, 2016 Archival pigment print 5 1/2 x 9 in. (14 x 22.9 cm) Titled on recto Signed and dated with postage stamp collage on verso KSM-00380-SP 81

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Thinking of Vincent, 2007 Mixed media Overall: 8 x 7 3/4 in. (20.3 x 19.7 cm), Each: 4 x 7 3/4 in.

Signed on recto Archival pigment print with postage stamp collage KSM-00385-SP 83

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Calle de La Reforma & Calle de Murguia, 2015 Archival pigment print 5 1/4 x 7 in. (13.3 x 17.8 cm) Signed, dated, and annotated on recto Titled and dated with postage stamps on verso KSM-00390-SP 85

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July 6, 1971 Mixed media with machine sewing 4 x 6 in. (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Signed and dated on verso Envelope with gelatin silver print, collage elements and machine sewing KSM-00387-SP 87

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6 Dec , 2011 Archival pigment print 4 x 6 in. (10.2 x 15.2 cm) Signed and dated with postage stamps on verso KSM-00391-SP 89

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The 43 Missing, 24 Jan, 2015 Archival pigment print 5 7/8 x 7 3/8 in. (14.9 x 18.7 cm) Titled on recto Signed, titled and dated with postage stamps on verso KSM-00393-SP 91

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Happy New Year (from “Drawing My Own Conclusions, Book #277), 2011 Archival pigment print 5 x 6 1/4 in. (12.7 x 15.9 cm) Signed on recto Label and postage stamps verso KSM-00392-SP 93

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From Book 291, “43�; 24 January, 2015 Archival pigment print 5 x 7 1/2 in. (12.7 x 19.1 cm) Signed, titled, and dated with postage stamps on verso KSM-00394-SP 95

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Post CA, Thursday, 4 March, 1971 Mixed media 3 1/2 x 5 3/8 in. (8.9 x 13.7 cm) Signed, titled, and dated on verso Postcard with fabric application and postage stamp KSM-00386-SP 97

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p 1

KSM-00340-SP

$6,000

p 3

KSM-00341-SP

$2,500

p 5

KSM-00343-SP

$3,500

p 7

KSM-00389-SP

$4,500

p 9

KSM-00345-SP

$2,000

p 11

KSM-00348-SP

$5,000

p 13

KSM-00344-SP

$2,500

p 15

KSM-00349-SP

$6,000

p 17

KSM-00346-SP

$2,000

p 19

KSM-00351-SP

$5,000

p 21

KSM-00347-SP

$2,500

p23

KSM-00350-SP

$4,000

p 25

KSM-00352-SP

$6,000

p 27

KSM-00353-SP

$5,000

p 29

KSM-00354-SP

$5,000

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KSM-00355-SP

$4,000

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KSM-00356-SP

$4,000

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KSM-00357-SP

$4,000

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KSM-00358-SP

$2,500

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KSM-00359-SP

$3,000

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KSM-00360-SP

$2,500

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KSM-00361-SP

$2,000

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KSM-00367-SP

$3,000

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KSM-00362-SP

$4,000

99

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KSM-00363-SP

$3,000

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KSM-00364-SP

$2,500

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KSM-00365-SP

$3,500

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KSM-00366-SP

$3,500

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KSM-00368-SP

$2,500

p 59

KSM-00369-SP

$4,500

p 61

KSM-00370-SP

$6,000

p 65

KSM-00371-SP

$3,500

p 67

KSM-00372-SP

$7,500

p 69

KSM-00373-SP

$3,000

p 71

KSM-00376-SP

$4,500

p 73

KSM-00378-SP

$5,000

p 75

KSM-00377-SP

$4,500

p 77

KSM-00379-SP

$2,000

p 79

KSM-00381-SP

$5,500

p 81

KSM-00380-SP

$2,000

p 83

KSM-00385-SP

$3,000

p 85

KSM-00390-SP

$2,000

p 87

KSM-00387-SP

$3,500

p 89

KSM-00391-SP

$2,000

p 91

KSM-00393-SP

$2,000

p 93

KSM-00392-SP

$2,000

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KSM-00394-SP

$2,000

p 97

KSM-00386-SP

$2,000

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