Shinique Smith (born January 9, 1971) is an American visual artist, known for her colorful installation art and paintings that incorporate found textiles and collage materials.

Born in 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland, Smith's artistic training began in childhood, encouraged toward the creative arts by her mother, a fashion editor.

[4] Described in the press as "an annual journey through the visions, lives and dreams of media makers of African ancestry,"[4] the festival hosted films by emerging and established filmmakers such as Cheryl Dunye, Cauleen Smith, Barbara McCullough, Kasi Lemmons, and Charles Burnett (who was honored by Flav'a Fest and Seattle Mayor Norm Rice at a special screening of Killer of Sheep in 1997).

[2][3] She began to include used clothing in her work after reading a New York Times Magazine article about secondhand garments shipped to Africa from thrift stores.

"[13] Mergel said the exhibition "reflects an essential aspect of Smith's practice: how to visually manifest emotional connection, belief and the resilience of human energy through gestures and materials that shape daily life.