John Smith Solo Show

John Smith Solo Show

For the first time in the 18-year history of the RCA Curating Contemporary Art MA programme, final year students have decided to present a solo exhibition as their graduate project. Opening on 19 March, this will be the largest UK show by the pioneering East London based artist and filmmaker John Smith.

Much loved for their wit, formal ingenuity and use of storytelling, Smith’s films are as much influenced by the humour of Monty Python as the theories of avant-garde filmmaking. Acknowledging that much of Smith’s work has rarely been shown in a gallery context, a comprehensive selection will be shown together in the RCA galleries.

This exhibition offers an opportunity for Smith to return to the RCA where he began making films as a student in the 1970s. The artist will work closely with the students to create an exhibition that reveals the multiple sensibilities which run throughout his practice. Rarely seen early films will be shown in the company of more recent work and the exhibition design will emphasise the narrative and structural devices used within Smith’s work. A programme of talks and events will complement the show, providing a focused, in-depth reflection upon individual works.

Accompanying the exhibition will be a new catalogue on Smith’s practice with critical texts, an extended interview with the artist and a visual essay. A second publication will follow in June focusing on the solo show as an exhibition format. Comprised of research through interviews and historical analysis it will also reflect on the making of the exhibition and include documentation of Smith’s work.

John Smith in front of Third Attempt (2010)
Photograph by Lauren Winsor

John Smith is represented by Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin and his work is distributed by LUX, London, Video Data Bank, Chicago and Light Cone, Paris.

For video clips of Smith’s work, a complete filmography and a full list of exhibitions please visit: www.johnsmithfilms.com

John Smith Solo Show was curated by the graduating students on the Royal College of Art’s MA Curating Contemporary Art

Emma Astner

Gareth Bell-Jones

Carmen Billows

Romain Chenais

Martyn Richard Coppell

Thomas Cuckle

John Vincent Decemvirale

Saim Demircan

Karina Joseph

Antonia Lotz

Gemma Lloyd

Louise O’Hare

Eve Smith

Yesomi Umolu