John Smith

John Smith

Born in London,1952, he studied at North-East London Polytechnic and the Royal College of Art, after which he became an active member of the London Filmmakers’ Co-op. Inspired in his formative years by conceptual art and structural film, he also became fascinated by the immersive power of narrative and the spoken word, forming the foundation for the diverse body of work that he has developed over the past five decades. Often rooted in everyday life and personal experience, Smith’s films playfully explore and expose the language of cinema, subverting the perceived boundaries between documentary, fiction, representation and abstraction.
John Smith has made over 60 film, video and installation works that have been shown in independent cinemas, museums and art galleries around the world. His films are in the collections of Tate Gallery, Arts Council England, MoMA New York, FRAC Île de France, Paris; Kunstmuseum Magdeburg and Muzeum Sztuki, Lodz.