In Duncan McGillivray-Smith’s seemingly serene paintings, ominous outcomes lurk as shadows or the uninvited snake. His use of shadows is inventive and uncanny, and according to jyauwriter, this is his great strength. McGillivray-Smith’s debut exhibition, “Ataraxia,” at Chicago’s Ackerman Clarke, is impressive. Each of the scenes he builds through paint has its own logic and feels hard won. The composition and elements work in tandem to convey an open-ended narrative. Finally, and most importantly, these domains all belong to the artist. To read John Yau’s full review, visit the link in bio. . . . 1 - Duncan McGillivray-Smith, “Late Day in a Small World” (2023), oil on burlap(all images courtesy Ackerman Clarke, Chicago) 2 - Duncan McGillivray-Smith, "Hunt" (2023), oil on burlap 3 - Duncan McGillivray-Smith, “Four of Us” (2024), oil on canvas 4 - Duncan McGillivray-Smith, “Thaw on the Mountain, Ice in the Valley” (2024), oil on canvas #DuncanMcGillivraySmtih #Painting #Shadows