Day in the Life of the Artist: Phillip K Smith III

https://vimeo.com/213293757

StandardVision’s Day in the Life series continues with a meditative look at American artist Phillip K Smith III interacting with his reflective mirror sculpture titled The Circle of Land and Sky, on display this month as part of Desert X. The piece was filmed on location by Safety Third Productions during an impromptu visit by Smith to the installation site.

From the Desert X website,

“The Circle of Land and Sky defines a reflective space within the desert, composed entirely of the environment’s two most prominent physical characteristics -- land and sky. Formed by 300 geometric reflectors angled at 10 degrees, the artwork directly engages with the Sonoran surrounding and the endless heavens.  As the light shifts and the viewer moves through the installation, land and sky are separated, merged, and displaced, subverting one’s assumed relationship with the desert horizon. At times, the sky is pulled down to the land or the land lifted up to the sky, while the colors of the west may merge with the colors of the east. It is a constantly changing installation that can never be seen the same way twice.”

Phillip K Smith III is an internationally acclaimed artist based in Palm Desert, CA who continually distills his concepts to create intensely physical, seemingly ephemeral, and highly meditative works that affect perception, breath, and pace of experience. Incorporating a sense of change in his work through shifting color or the movement of the sun, Smith challenges us to slow down and align ourselves with his work so that we can better see and hear the beauty that is in front of us.

The Circle of Land and Sky is located at the intersection of Frank Sinatra Dr and Portola Ave in Palm Desert. The installation is on display through April 30 and is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

You can catch the Phillip K Smith III’s Day in the Life piece playing every hour on the SVLA1 screen at 901 W Olympic blvd through the end of this month.