Bruno Smith is a Mexican-American cross-disciplinary artist, born in New York City. Smith's family originated in Brownsville, Texas and Mexico City, and he has been searching for a common language in the labels and logos throughout his surroundings. Smith separated everyday symbols from the original consumer environment of the United States or Mexico, constructing a picto-graphical language to reflect on the nature of time, decomposition, and the nature of the material used to construct his work. In recycling everyday trash, Smith memorializes discarded things as monuments and explores their presence in the world. In the following interview, we have the opportunity to invite Bruno Smith to talk about his impressions on this exhibition and Liu Shiming’s art.
About the exhibition, can you share your overall impression of the exhibition? What were your initial thoughts upon seeing the collection?
Bruno Smith：First, it was a Wow ! We’ve got a lot of work to show, which is exciting. It shows the prolificacy of an artist like Mr. Liu. There's a bit of a break-up, or it was fun to try to break up things chronologically, but also thematically. But, I think with someone who seems to have been a master but also very playful with their technique. It's exciting to see how we could kind of deal with someone who just seems to have made sculpture for fun and then cast it in bronze.
What aspects of the sculptures do you find most intriguing or impressive? Are there any techniques or artistic choices that caught your attention?
Bruno Smith：I think it is the back and forth between serious subjects and then some more kind of loose, free subjects of people dancing or someone laying down drinking or this man on the bicycle that was really exciting. And then the building was really exciting where even if something was occurring, if he was working on a theme, there suddenly is a piece that is a standalone from that same period. So maybe the intriguing part is seeing how he doesn't stop short, he kind of decides to represent something just because he thinks it belongs. And that's exciting.
The exhibition features a diverse range of sculptures in terms of styles and themes. Is there a specific part that resonated with you the most, and if so, why?
Bruno Smith：As what I said, the building, I think pieces which he was including like smaller components too, like a set or a stage like the building and the bowl. And then these pieces over here where it feels like he became a lot more playful or almost like he took toys and replicated them or cast them. It kind of plays again back to maybe his urge or need to be playful with his materials.
I want to know more about the titles of some of these pieces. There seems to be a lot of play with the power or dynamics of maybe labor or, I guess what someone would call common people, and then they're bodies in relation to what it is that they're laboring over. And in some of the smaller works, I've seen on television and so I don't know if that's about rest or a critique on media or… I'm not sure. But to see those things portrayed in the classical sculpting style and bronze feels kind of like a push or pull of contemporary topics in a classical or a modernist style, which is exciting. And it's powerful to question those things.
Were there any pieces that inspired you or made you contemplate new ideas for your own work? Please elaborate.
Bruno Smith：I think the ones I've been talking about are the most exciting for me. How to create something out of bronze or use these very established methods, but then incorporate subject matter that feels a little bit more like today. And it seems like he wasn't afraid to mess with those lines. So that's something I'm interested in.
In your opinion, how does this exhibition contribute to contemporary art and what makes it stand out from other sculptures and exhibitions we've seen?
Bruno Smith： I think I'm gonna talk about regionalism. I think in the United States we don't have a good education or understanding of the history or the lineage of art in China and Chinese artists. And when you go to museums, it usually is very classical. What would you call it … like eras and dynasty period works. And as an American to just have work that is so prolific and important here, especially at a university, it's exciting to have that available to people who may not know a lot about that history.
As an artist, do you feel that there is a connection or intersection between traditional sculpting techniques and modern sculpting methods? If so, how is it represented in this exhibition?
Bruno Smith：I think through nature we're in a contemporary context, and also, we're in an American context and we often don't get exposed to classical history and tradition outside of Western art so that makes it very exciting. And again, the intersection between classical Western art with potentially Eastern or Chinese art, seeing how that interplay is important, if you're going to get a well-rounded understanding of art in an international or global context.
Sculpture art can have a lasting impact on viewers. Do you believe any of these sculptures have the potential to become iconic or have a significant cultural influence?
Bruno Smith：I think every artist has that potential and every person is gonna be able to take something away from such a prolific show that will hopefully be lasting and iconic for them.
Interview Text Edited by CAFA ART INFO
Thanks to the organizer for the interview and relevant information