Considered one of the founders of the hard-edge style of minimal, abstract art, Smith spent his formative years defining this approach to geometric abstraction, creating some of the most revolutionary artworks in his practice, including a key painting from this era, Ada, 1958.

Explicitly referencing his personal background, he titled Ada after a town in Oklahoma, his home state. Smith was born in Indian Territory just one year before it became the state of Oklahoma, and as a result, his family’s identity emerged within the complex history and interconnection of Chickasaw and Choctaw native people living in rural Oklahoma communities, surrounded by the beauty of vast plains.

His experiences in the flat plains profoundly influenced his work, as he believed that one’s sense of geometry derives from the landscape they call home. This sentiment is evident in his use of bold, pure colors, as illustrated in Ada, which pays homage to Smith’s exposure to and appreciation for Native American craft.

Considered one of the founders of the hard-edge style of minimal, abstract art, Smith spent his formative years defining this approach to geometric abstraction, creating some of the most revolutionary artworks in his practice, including a key painting from this era, Ada, 1958.

Explicitly referencing his personal background, he titled Ada after a town in Oklahoma, his home state. Smith was born in Indian Territory just one year before it became the state of Oklahoma, and as a result, his family’s identity emerged within the complex history and interconnection of Chickasaw and Choctaw native people living in rural Oklahoma communities, surrounded by the beauty of vast plains.

His experiences in the flat plains profoundly influenced his work, as he believed that one’s sense of geometry derives from the landscape they call home. This sentiment is evident in his use of bold, pure colors, as illustrated in Ada, which pays homage to Smith’s exposure to and appreciation for Native American craft.

Considered one of the founders of the hard-edge style of minimal, abstract art, Smith spent his formative years defining this approach to geometric abstraction, creating some of the most revolutionary artworks in his practice, including a key painting from this era, Ada, 1958.

Explicitly referencing his personal background, he titled Ada after a town in Oklahoma, his home state. Smith was born in Indian Territory just one year before it became the state of Oklahoma, and as a result, his family’s identity emerged within the complex history and interconnection of Chickasaw and Choctaw native people living in rural Oklahoma communities, surrounded by the beauty of vast plains.

His experiences in the flat plains profoundly influenced his work, as he believed that one’s sense of geometry derives from the landscape they call home. This sentiment is evident in his use of bold, pure colors, as illustrated in Ada, which pays homage to Smith’s exposure to and appreciation for Native American craft.

Considered one of the founders of the hard-edge style of minimal, abstract art, Smith spent his formative years defining this approach to geometric abstraction, creating some of the most revolutionary artworks in his practice, including a key painting from this era, Ada, 1958.

Explicitly referencing his personal background, he titled Ada after a town in Oklahoma, his home state. Smith was born in Indian Territory just one year before it became the state of Oklahoma, and as a result, his family’s identity emerged within the complex history and interconnection of Chickasaw and Choctaw native people living in rural Oklahoma communities, surrounded by the beauty of vast plains.

His experiences in the flat plains profoundly influenced his work, as he believed that one’s sense of geometry derives from the landscape they call home. This sentiment is evident in his use of bold, pure colors, as illustrated in Ada, which pays homage to Smith’s exposure to and appreciation for Native American craft.