Lucien Smith, the contemporary artist whose signature "Rain Paintings" made him a prominent figure in New York's early-2010s art scene, has died. He was 37.
Smith died Sept. 7 and the news was confirmed to ARTnews by his longtime friend and gallerist Bill Powers. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Born in Los Angeles in 1989 and raised in New York, Smith earned his bachelor's degree from Cooper Union in 2011. His thesis exhibition, "Imagined Nostalgia," caught the attention of art dealer Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, who subsequently began showing his work at the New York City art gallery, Salon 94.
Smith soon became best known for his "Rain Paintings," a collection of abstract works created by spraying paint from a fire extinguisher
onto unprimed canvases. The unconventional technique helped turn the recent art school graduate into one of the most closely watched young painters in New York.
Demand for Smith's work quickly surged. In 2013, a painting that had originally sold for $10,000 at his thesis exhibition sold for $389,000 at a Phillips auction. He was 24 at the time. His work generated more than $4 million at auction in 2014, according to the Artnet Price Database.
Skarstedt Gallery, which exhibited Smith's work, released a statement following his death.
"We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Lucien Smith," the gallery said. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time."
As his career cooled down, Smith turned his attention toward helping other creatives, founding Serving the People, a nonprofit intended to support emerging talent in art, music and film. Smith later moved away from the center of New York's art world and settled in Montauk.
During an interview with SSENSE, he shared that his departure from the New York art scene came because he found it "really pretentious and unhealthy."
During an interview with Kenny Schachter, he opened up about his past with substance abuse. "I'm a chronic relapser. I shouldn't drink or do drugs," Smith said. "If you're reading this, don't give me drugs if you see me. Give me hugs."
Smith had recently returned to the style that made him famous. He created four new "Rain Paintings" on an abandoned baseball field at Camp Hero in Montauk for an exhibition titled "Delay of Game" at Tripoli Gallery.
The show had been scheduled to open Sept. 12 but has been postponed while the gallery consults with his family, Page Six reported.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lucien Smith, influential New York artist, dies at 37
