Josh Smith's work focuses on themes of authenticity and authorship. He first became known for paintings in which he used his name as a motif on the canvas, shattering the myth of the artist through an act of ironic self-marketing. In his latest series, "Abstraction," Smith creates archetypes from abstract paintings--airy compositions in lively colors. Although he takes his stylistic cue from the Abstract Expressionist school, which bestowed mythical status upon the artist, Smith's unusual color combinations and cartoon-like forms retain little of this weighty background. His appropriations from abstract painting are quite direct, and endow this artistic tradition with a refreshing lack of pretension. The first volume of this slipcased set features Smith's abstract paintings; the second features his palette paintings--palettes on which the artist has squeezed out his brushes, pursuing a completely straightforward aesthetic of simple forms. A text booklet contains an interview with the artist.