Harold Smith

Harold Smith is a Kansas City, Kansas-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, collage, mixed media, performance, video, sound, and assemblage. Born and raised in the area, he has worked as an educator for over three decades, including as a computer science and art teacher, before focusing full-time on his studio practice. His work draws from the social commentary tradition of figurative urban expressionism, echoing the approaches of artists like Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Kerry James Marshall while centering the complexities of Black male identity, labor, masculinity, social justice, and cultural experience in contemporary America.

Smith is self-taught and grounds his art in personal and communal narratives. He frequently reimagines iconic works from art history by recasting their traditionally white protagonists with figures from his own neighborhood, as seen in the exhibition “Around the Way Folk: Saints in Uncommon Places” at the Mulvane Art Museum. His series explore themes through distinct bodies of work, including the Man of Color Series, Blacktacular Series, Art in America Series, and explorations of pain and joy in Black life. These pieces blend realism with expressive elements to comment on identity and belonging.

His paintings and installations have been exhibited internationally and are held in public and private collections, with thirteen works noted in institutional holdings. Smith also engages audiences through writing and filmmaking, extending his commentary beyond the canvas. As a mid-career artist and cultural critic, he continues to create from his home studio in Kansas City, Kansas, maintaining an active presence in both local and broader art communities. His legacy lies in bridging historical art references with lived Black experiences, making classical imagery accessible and resonant for new audiences.