Smith, Michael

***Released on Jim O'Rourke's Moikai imprint of Drag City, Mike's Box is a deep dive into the fifty-year career of anti-establishment performance artist Michael Smith. Its eight DVDs collect his performances, videos, installations, and collaborations, along with a 128-page book about his works, providing an even deep dive into his ideas.

“In a manner befitting the everyday otherworld- liness of Michael Smith’s work, I was 13 when I first stumbled on his work through Public TV’s Image Union. His “Secret Horror” was a hilar- ious, deadpan and appropriately unflinching look into the abyss. This superimposition of states had a profound impact on my life and work, to this day. This boxset is the doorway into that world, Mike’s World, that will throw you for a loop, wild-eyed and helpless.”—Jim O’Rourke, 2025