Nick Smith is a British contemporary artist best known for his colourful prints and original works which represent iconic images through a personal perspective of colour, words and cultural references. Nick Smith is recognized for creating fine art with conceptual wordplay to engage collectors who contribute value, story and investable features. His limited edition prints and originals build strong demand internationally, and they offer an easily accessible entry level into his work for both emerging collectors and seasoned investors. Check out our Nick Smith collection of Artworks for Sale here, to take advantage of an opportunity to own a piece of this innovator’s story.
About Nick Smith
Nick Smith was born in 1980 in Coventry. Smith trained to be a product designer before completely taking his step in and advancing his practice into the art sector. His design skills still dramatically influence the art he expresses and the core reflective aspect of his work centers on colour, image and text. Nick Smith became better known for his pixelated renditions of art historical masterpieces along with popular cultures superstars, where thousands of coloured boxes of swatch colour create a chosen word that provides a juxtaposition of visual identification and linguistic recognition.
His exhibitions at high-profile venues such as Rhodes Contemporary in London and various international art fairs underscore his continuous distinct identity in the contemporary art sector. Smith’s artwork engages with collective cultural memory while leading audiences to consider how meaning is made at a time when we are bombarded with visual and written information.
Iconic Series and Artworks
From his first collage experiment back in 2011 of Warhol’s ‘Marilyn’, when he assembled a tessellation of swatches as a challenge, this eventually inspired his career as an artist and determined his unique style he is now known for. Nick Smith is best known for his groundbreaking Psycolourgy series, where he deconstructs iconic imagery into grids of colour swatches paired with short, carefully chosen words. From Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to contemporary cultural icons, his work prompts viewers to reflect on how we process visual and verbal information together, creating a dialogue between memory, meaning, and interpretation.
Beyond art-historical subjects, Smith frequently draws inspiration from popular culture, reimagining imagery from film, television, music, and even the world of trainers in his Polytheism. These works capture instantly recognisable cultural symbols of Jaws and The Simpsons while distorting them just enough to challenge our perception, making the familiar feel both new and thought-provoking. Among his most collected pieces are Psycolourgy 101 and Psycolourgy 401, which demonstrate the power of his concept-driven practice. His original works on canvas and board further showcase his meticulous craftsmanship, elevating his playful yet profound explorations of how we consume culture in a digital age.
Artistic Techniques and Themes
The multi-layered element of Nick Smith’s work, which marries image and word, allows him to explore complex art-historical concepts. The text employed is often narrative, which can be read in sequence adding another element of intrigue and interest to the work. This additional element of text, placed under the empty space of each swatch, creates either complimentary or subversive meanings. Nick deliberately leaves these word/image constructions open to viewer interpretation, sparking new debates and meanings.
Each P-series (Psycolourgy 2015, Paramour 2016, Parlance 2017, Priceless 2018, Pinched 2019, Purgatory 2019, _Pioneers _2020) explores intricately researched concepts, which are always the crucial starting point for each new series of work. Producing large-scale works to micro-chip collages, and multiple sell out print editions, Nick continues to develop his popular and recognisable art.
Art Market and Investment
Nick Smith’s market has been steadily growing within the art market. Limited edition large scale prints often sell out within a matter of minutes upon releasing on his online store. His smaller sized prints begin in an accessible price range, while his original pieces and large-scale prints have had auction results that have climbed into the tens of thousands. Clients appreciate Smith’s conceptual humour and visual impacts that make Smith’s pieces even more in demand with both the UK and international markets.
Authenticity and Provenance
Authenticity is an important aspect when purchasing a Nick Smith piece of art. There are limited editions he created that are signed and numbered by the artist and certified with a Certificate of Authenticity from the publisher, or the gallery who represents him. Provenance is to demonstrate that the artist or authorised source has documented provenance for chain of custody.
At FairArt, all Nick Smith artwork is diligently verified before selling with our authenticity guarantee. You can buy with perfect assuredness that your print or original piece of artwork has been authenticated and verified. If you have any further inquiries about provenance or authenticity please contact support@fairart.io.