Ornaminimalism  writing + art by LAUREL SMITH 
 

Ornaminimalism is a term coined by artist Laurel Smith who questions contemporary minimal painting by combining diametrically opposed design styles. Inspired by her longstanding interest in examining the impact of privileged classes on style and taste she pairs minimal aesthetics with ornate 18th century Rococo design motifs or with late Qing Dynasty chinoiserie embellishments. Smith states, "The paintings reflect my view of contemporary society's increasingly excessive consumer culture which contradicts a desire for simplicity." The paintings are created by layering multiple acrylic glazes onto industrially fabricated panels. The dense color of the surface contrasts the painting's edges to activate the wall as another ornamental element. For a detailed description of this research click on the catalog essay PDF.