Josh Smith's work focuses on themes of authenticity and authorship. He first became known for paintings in which he used his name as a motif on the canvas–an act of ironic self-marketing. In his series Abstraction, Smith creates archetypes from abstract paintings, airy compositions in lively colors. Although he takes a stylistic cue from the Abstract Expressionist school, Smith's unusual color combinations and cartoon-like forms retain little of this weighty background. His appropriations from abstract painting are quite direct, and endow this artistic tradition with a refreshing lack of pretension. The first volume of this slipcased set features Smith's Abstraction series paintings; the second features his palette paintings–palettes on which the artist has squeezed out his brushes, pursuing a completely straightforward aesthetic of simple forms. An accompanying text booklet contains an interview with the artist. Luhring Augustine, 2007 10.5 x 13.5 inches, 280 pp., color illustrations Softcover, 2 volumes in slipcase, ISBN 978-3935567442