Hear from the Artist: Taylor V. Smith

For over three decades, The Phillips Collection has honored the artistic talents of its staff through the annual James McLaughlin Memorial Staff Show. This beloved tradition showcases the creative work of museum employees across departments. As part of the exhibition, the “Hear from the Artist” series invites participating artists to lead 15-minute tours of their work, offering visitors personal insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives into their creative process.

About Taylor V. Smith

Taylor V. Smith, a native of St. Louis, MO, currently residing in the DMV, is a multi-creative artist passionate about creating artwork and spaces that center Black people—especially those who are Black and Queer. Their work is rooted in themes of love, community, liberation, pleasure, joy, grief and healing. Taylor captures intimate, everyday moments that often go unseen, believing in the beauty and depth of Black existence in a world that too often seeks to diminish it. Through visual art, photography, storytelling, and creative facilitation, Taylor builds work that affirms, celebrates, and makes space for Black life in all its complexity. Their creative approach is guided by honoring legacy, embracing softness, and cultivating spaces where people feel safe, seen, and held. For Taylor, art is not only expression, it is an act of resistance, remembrance, and radical care that connects the past, present, and future of Black life.

IMAGE: Taylor V. Smith, An Angel’s Touch, 2022, Digital photograph