Artist Lucien Smith, who gained prominence in New York's art scene in the early 2010s, has died at the age of 37. The cause of death has not been publicly released.
Smith, celebrated for his distinctive "Rain Paintings" created using a fire extinguisher, was a notable figure in the downtown art world shortly after graduating from Cooper Union in 2011. The New York Times' T Magazine hailed him as a "wunderkind" at age 24, and he was included in Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in both 2013 and 2014. By his mid-twenties, his work was achieving significant sales, with one painting selling for $372,000 at a Sotheby's auction in 2014.
In 2015, Smith discussed the challenges of early notoriety, noting that the art market sector where he gained traction had experienced a correction. He expressed a desire to move away from being a "New York art star." Following this period, he shifted his focus to supporting other young artists.
Founding Serving the People
In 2015, Smith established the nonprofit organization Serving the People, which he described as a platform aimed at nurturing emerging talent in art, music, and film. The organization's stated goal was to provide an alternative space for creative exploration and to cultivate a market for less commercial artistic endeavors.
In 2025, Smith reopened Food, a space originally established in 1971 by artists Tina Girouard, Carol Goodden, and Gordon Matta-Clark. He appeared to be preparing for a return to the art world, with plans for a show at Tripoli Gallery in Montauk titled “Delay of Game,” featuring four new Rain Paintings. This exhibition was set to open on September 12 and run through the end of the month.
Bill Powers, owner of Half Gallery, which presented Smith's first solo exhibition in 2012, remembered him as an influential figure. "When people remember contemporary art from the early teens of this century, it will be impossible not to include the work of Lucien Smith in that conversation," Powers stated. Artist Andrew Kuo also shared his grief, tweeting that Smith's death was "tragic" and a "loss for our community."