Artist Lucien Smith has died at 37, according to Hyperallergic. His death was confirmed by Erin Goldberger, director of Half Gallery, and a cause of death has not been made public.
Smith became widely known for his “Rain Paintings”, created by spraying acrylic paint onto canvas with fire extinguishers. His work quickly became part of the early-2010s art-market boom, with one painting from his Cooper Union thesis show later selling for $389,000 at auction.
In later years, Smith moved away from the commercial gallery system and placed more emphasis on community-focused projects and creative independence.