Peter Smyth

Smyth's contemporary practice intersects at the volatile boundary where ecological systems meet digital simulation. His work explores the complex, hidden architectures of the natural world — specifically fungal networks, botanical anatomy, and underground root ecosystems — reinterpreting them through the clinical lens of modern software.

The creative process begins digitally: deconstructing organic imagery of plant life, petals, and stems into fragmented, rudimentary shapes, which are then translated into 3D models. Within a digital rendering environment, Smyth artificially manipulates light, texture, and highly incongruous colour schemes, creating complex geometric compositions that could never be fully envisioned from the start.

The final, crucial stage is a direct confrontation with the canvas. By translating these clinical, software-generated renderings into physical paintings, he introduces weight, tactile relief, and the deliberate, unrepeatable traces of the human hand — transforming abstract ecological data into a deeply physical, spatial experience.