Lionel Smit
Lionel Smit (born 22 October 1982, Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African artist,[1][2][3] known for his contemporary portraiture executed through large canvases and sculptures.[4]
Smit lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa, but is also represented internationally in London.[5] His work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London where it received the Viewer's Choice Award,[6] He received a Ministerial Award from the South African Department of Culture in 2013[7] for Visual Art.
History
[edit]Born in 1982 in Pretoria, South Africa, Smit was exposed to sculpture through his father Anton Smit,[8] who worked from his studio adjacent to the family home. This studio played a central role in Lionel's upbringing.[9] By age twelve, Smit was already working in clay and considered himself primarily as a sculptor. At sixteen his parents separated, after which Lionel, a student at Pretoria's Pro Arte School of Arts at the time, began to use the empty studio space his father occupied for painting.
Work and subject matter
[edit]Lionel Smit's art is defined by a relationship between sculpture and painting.[10]
Smit is based in Strand, South Africa.[11]He has achieved international success including sell-out exhibitions in London[12][13] and Hong Kong.
Local acclaim
[edit]Lionel Smit has also enjoyed success in his home country of South Africa, where his work has featured in local publications such as Elle South Africa[14] and Elle Decoration.[15]
Qualifications and awards
[edit]- 2013 Visitors' Choice Award,[16][17] BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London
- 2013 Ministerial Award from Department of Culture for Visual Art,[18] Western Cape Government
- 2009 Merit Award, Vuleka, Sanlam Art Competition, Cape Town
- 2008 Achievement Award, Pro Arte School of Arts
- 2000 First prize in the MTN Art Colours Awards of Gauteng
- 1999/2000 Best painting student, Pro Arte School of Arts
Selected exhibitions
[edit]![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Morphous.jpg/220px-Morphous.jpg)
2015
- Close/Perspective,[19][20][21] solo exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg
- Origins,[22][23] solo exhibition, Rook & Raven, London
- Obscura,[24][25] solo exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town
- Art Central Art Fair, featured artist, Rook & Raven Gallery, Hong Kong
- Accumulation of Disorder, installation, Independent Art Projects, MASS MoCA Campus, USA
2014
- Art Taipei, The Cat Street Gallery, Taiwan
- Contronym,[26] solo exhibition, The Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong
- Morphous, solo exhibition and installation, Circa, Johannesburg
- Cumulus,[27] solo exhibition, Rook & Raven, London
- Fugitive Identity, group exhibition, Cynthia Reeves, USA
2013
- Art Miami Fair, featured artist, Cynthia Reeves, Miami
- IS Sculpture, solo exhibition, IsArt, Tokara, Stellenbosch
- Strarta Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery, Rook & Raven, London
- Fragmented,[28] solo exhibition, Rook & Raven, London
- Accumulation,[29] solo exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg
- BP Portrait Award Exhibition,[30] Viewers' Choice Award, National Portrait Gallery, London
- Wonder Works Exhibition, The Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong
- Metal Work Public sculpture, Stellenbosch
2012
- Compendium,[31] solo exhibition, 34FineArt, Cape Town
- Accumulation of Disorder, installation, University of Stellenbosch Gallery, Stellenbosch
- Strata,[32][33] solo exhibition, Rook and Raven, London
- Robert Bowman Gallery, India Art Fair, India
- Jhb Art Fair, Everard Read
2011
- Surface, solo exhibition, Artspace, Johannesburg
- 34FineArt, ArtMonaco ‘11, Monaco
2010
- Out of the Office, group exhibition, Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany
- Cynthia Reeves Projects, Art Miami, USA
- We are not Witches, Saatchi Gallery, London
- Submerge,[34] solo exhibition, 34FineArt, Cape Town
2009
- F.A.C.E.T., Charity Auction, Christie's, London
- Relate, solo exhibition, Grande Provence, Franschhoek
Catalogues
[edit]- Cumulus LIONEL SMIT, Rook & Raven, London 2014
- Formulation LIONEL SMIT, Tokara, Stellenbosch 2013
- Accumulation LIONEL SMIT, Everard Read, Johannesburg 2013
- Strata LIONEL SMIT, Rook & Raven, London, 2012
- Surface LIONEL SMIT, Artspace, Johannesburg 2011
- We are not Witches, Saatchi Gallery, London 2011
- Submerge[35] LIONEL SMIT, 34FineArt, October 2010
- Christie's, F.A.C.E.T (catalogue cover), October 2009
- Residue, Grande Provence Gallery, October 2009
- Group therapy, Sandton Civic Gallery, 2005
- Pretoria, Everard Read Gallery, November 2004
Selected collections
[edit]- Ellerman Contemporary
- Standard Chartered Bank
- Laurence Graff
- Rand Merchant Bank[36]
- European Investment Bank
- Johannesburg City Council
- Saronsberg Wine Estate
- Grainvest Futures
- Delaire Graff Wine Estate
- South African Embassy, Nigeria
- Parkdev
- Jonathan Jabulani Museum
References
[edit]- ^ "Get to know celebrated SA artist, Lionel. Smit". News24. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Smart Art: Art for buying's sake". Times Live. 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Chefs Who Share – The Art of Giving". Food24.
- ^ "Benchmark Design". Visi.
- ^ Liversedge, Belinda (20 March 2014). "The face of contemporary SA art – Smit's bold portraits now in London". The South African.
- ^ "BP Visitors' Choice Award 2013". National Portrait Gallery.
- ^ "2013 Cultural Awards Winners". Western Cape Government.
- ^ "An alchemy of metal and paint". Opulent Living.
- ^ Adjin, Kwesi. "Face to Face with Lionel Smit". Style No Chaser.
- ^ "An alchemy of metal and paint". Opulent Living.
- ^ Leigh, Robertson. "An office made for Art". House and Leisure.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Cole-Morgan, John (15 June 2015). "Lionel Smit sells out his London art show before opening night". The South African.
- ^ "SA Artist sells out London Art Show before opening night". SA Good News. Archived from the original on 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
- ^ "Tarina Patel painting fetches R85 000". Elle South Africa.
- ^ "10 tips for top interior design". Elle Decoration.
- ^ "Exclusive Interview with Award Winning Artist Lionel Smit". SA Creative Network.
- ^ "BP Visitors' Choice Award 2013". National Portrait Gallery.
- ^ "Cultural Awards 2013". Western Cape Government.
- ^ "Close/Perspective Exhibition". Johannesburg Times.
- ^ "Close/Perspective Exhibition". Mail & Guardian.
- ^ "'n Uitdaging van Persepsie". Netwerk24. 29 August 2015.
- ^ "Origin Exhibition". Rook and Raven.
- ^ "Lionel Smit: Origins to open at Rook and Raven London". Artlyst.
- ^ "Obscura Exhibition". Art Times.
- ^ "Obscura Exhibition". Everard Read.
- ^ "Contronym Exhibition". The Cat Street Gallery.
- ^ "Cumulus Exhibition". Rook and Raven.
- ^ "Fragmented Exhibition". Rook and Raven.
- ^ de Freitas, Marilyn. "The many faces of Lionel Smit". www.art.co.za.
- ^ "BP Portrait Award Exhibitors 2013". National Portrait Gallery.
- ^ "Compendium Exhibition". 34FineArt.
- ^ "Strata Exhibition". The South African.
- ^ "Strata Exhibition". Rook and Raven.
- ^ "Submerge Exhibition". 34FineArt.
- ^ "Submerge Catalogue" (PDF). 34FineArt.
- ^ "RMB Art Collection". Rand Merchant Bank.