The wisdom of partial doubt 48.75 x 66” Oil on canvas 2026

No Instructions is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by Fred Smith. This exhibit brings together a new body of paintings featuring recurring armored figures that move through scenes familiar and imagined. Over the years, Smith has developed these characters into a deeply personal body of work.

The exhibition takes its title from the Luddites, 19th-century English textile workers who resisted the effects of industrialization on their livelihoods.

“Life of a Luddite has a lot more to do with the relationship I have with the world, and as a result of that, painting. The technological advancements that we think benefit our daily lives don't always generate a happier or more productive existence.”

The exhibition includes many of the intimate panel paintings that first shaped this body of work, alongside Smith's return to large-scale canvas. After developing the panel paintings from digital sketches, he left the sketches behind and began working directly onto the canvas, allowing each painting to evolve through erasing, editing, and revision.

“I don't think painting is meant to be a clean sleek finished product, all the time.”

Join us Friday, August 14, from 6–9 PM for the opening reception with the artist. The exhibition will remain on view through September 25.

The facades have not been kept up 50 x 46” Oil on canvas 2026

Fred Smith (b. 1987) is a human navigating their day-to-day existence through the act of making drawings, paintings, and sculptural objects. His drive to produce imagery and objects has developed over the years as a way to process the strong inner dialogue surrounding his everyday activities and life experiences.

While he was raised on a military base in Southern Germany and spent his teen years semi-transient, he now lives and works in central New York.