Leslie Smith III

Leslie Smith III is a Full Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work focuses on abstract art exploring Black representation, emotional states, and social constructs. He holds a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and an MFA from the Yale School of Art. His paintings are in collections such as the High Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

• Education: BFA (Maryland Institute College of Art), MFA (Yale School of Art)
• Exhibitions: National and international, including solo shows in Paris and New York
• Key Projects: 'The Passage' installation in France's Chapelle Saint-Tugdual, 'Reaching For Something High' NYC exhibition

Smith’s practice emphasizes material experimentation with oil paint, canvas, and industrial felt, reinterpreting historical techniques to challenge dominant narratives. His work engages viewers through perceptual abstraction and forced harmony in composition.

• Awards: 2022 Joan Mitchell Fellowship
• Research Themes: Black identity, abstraction’s political properties, decolonizing perspective traditions