Thursday, April 17, 6-9 pm
El De Smith: Take My Name Off the Order List Don’t Want Anything
April 18 through May 25, 2025

El De Smith lived in a carriage house in Detroit’s Cultural Center in the early 1970s and was known as a humorous and unconventional artist who made paintings on plywood and cardboard, frequently gifting them to other artists in the community, including Jim Chatelain, Gordon Newton, John Egner, Robert Sestok, Douglas James and Steve Foust, to name a few. This show is comprised of works entirely from private collections and represents the first known public showcase of Smith’s art, writings, and related ephemera. The exhibition has been curated in collaboration with Jim Chatelain. 

Photo credit: Robert Hensleigh