Mars Black

Mars Black is the alias of British self-taught artist Steve Smith, a name derived from the iron oxide pigment Mars Black, a shade of paint he uses. He has always liked the idea of an alias, appreciating the way it reflects the use of avatars and online identities. His witty and bold artwork has gained incredible popularity.

Smith sees minimalist art as 'a way to be quite free and experimental.' He enjoys trying to keep things as simple as possible, especially because his canvases are very small; he likes the challenge. He finds great value in trying to create something in the most minimalist way possible, believing there is 'something very special about simplicity in creativity.'

His artwork is 'simply a reflection' of himself. He is a relatively quiet person, but his thoughts and ideas can be quite provocative. He loves dark humour and finds that the truth, 'as uncomfortable as it can sometimes be, is where the interesting and funny aspects of life can be found.' The concepts usually develop as he starts painting; he rarely has an idea before he paints of where it is going to go, instead starting and seeing what happens.

He loves to paint the ocean and incorporates words into his paintings, usually placing them out in nature. He chooses to use swear words quite a lot because he thinks they are great. He also likes to paint a lot of dogs. He sometimes paints certain things in a pseudo renaissance style, mainly for his own amusement.

For Smith, art is 'where we are totally free to express the truth about our experience of this world.' He believes art should not be controlled. Regarding human creativity, he notes that 'one of the most important factors... is limitation,' and that art is found not necessarily in the work itself, but in the artist.

His favourite witty quote is: 'time flies like the wind, fruit flies like bananas.' He initially worked with galleries, but now sells work directly to buyers through the internet, reaching a worldwide audience through his phone. He would still like to exhibit his work in the real world. He intends to keep enjoying himself and having fun with his artwork, letting the universe drive him where it likes.