Alex K. Smith, born Alexei Kuznetsov in 1978, is an abstract artist based in Lisbon, Portugal.
Originally from Minsk, BY, he was drawn to painting from a young age, influenced by his mother's family ties to Vitebsk, a city with a rich artistic history, particularly in the early 20th century when artists like Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich contributed to its vibrant art scene. After pursuing a career in graphic design, he discovered spray paint in 1997, which led him to explore the world of street art and graffiti. He adopted various nicknames, including Liquid, Ners, Awek, Temos, and Monk, and his graffiti crew, TRUE STILO, became renowned across post-Soviet territories and Europe.
In 2010, during a visit to a Hong Kong commercial gallery, Alex was struck by the potency of pure color when he saw a large, bright-red canvas. Later that same year, a significant event in his life inspired Alex to shift his artistic focus towards Abstract Expressionism.
Alex K. Smith has collaborated extensively with renowned publications, brands, and private institutions, such as Vogue, AD Magazine, Absolut, Tumi, Adidas, Nike and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
His solo exhibitions have been held in notable venues such as Mirus Gallery in San Francisco, USA, Speerstra Gallery in Switzerland and France, Montana Gallery Barcelona, National Center for Contemporary Arts of the Republic of Belarus, Triumph Gallery, MSK Eastside Gallery and other. His work has been showcased and collected across the globe, including in New York, San Francisco, London, Seoul, Hong Kong, Brussels, Geneva, Paris, Monaco, Moscow, Minsk, and Barcelona.