Sable Elyse Smith

Sable Elyse Smith is an Assistant Professor of Visual Art at Columbia University's School of the Arts. An interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator based in New York, she creates work that points to the carceral, the personal, the political, and the quotidian to speak about violence that is often unseen and potentially imperceptible.

Smith's artistic practice focuses on making visible the invisible structures of power and violence in everyday life. Using video, sculpture, photography, and text, she explores carceral systems, personal and political intersections, and emotional intelligence needed to navigate these complex realities. Her recent solo exhibition "Fair Grounds" at Regen Projects examined prison visiting room furniture reconfigured into artistic forms, using color schemes that create disorienting effects to reveal hidden tensions in ordinary objects.

Her recent work shows a strong focus on sculpture and painting, particularly the evolving "Coloring Book" series which has progressed from examining children's mark-making to addressing complex themes of power, race, and gender. The numbered titles of many works (like "9855 Days") emphasize that these are ongoing conversations - "this is not a closed conversation or something that we get and then it's over. It repeats itself every single day."

Smith has received significant recognition for her work through prestigious awards:

• Creative Capital Award
• Joan Mitchell Fellowship
• Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award
• Art Matters Grant
• Rema Hort Mann Foundation Award
• Franklin Furnace Fund
• Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Fellowship
• Queens Museum Award
• Fine Arts Work Center Fellowship

As an educator at Columbia University, Smith brings her interdisciplinary approach to teaching visual art. Her guidance emphasizes observation, emotional intelligence, and examining the world from multiple perspectives. She maintains an active studio practice alongside her teaching responsibilities, with her work continuing to be shown at major institutions including MoMA Ps1, New Museum, the Whitney Museum, and The Studio Museum in Harlem.