© John Smith Films 2016
John Smith was born in London in 1952 and studied film at the Royal College of Art. Inspired in his formative years by conceptual art and structural film, but also fascinated by the immersive power of narrative and the spoken word, he has developed an extensive body of work that subverts the perceived boundaries between documentary and fiction, representation and abstraction. Often rooted in everyday life, Smith’s meticulously crafted films rework and transform reality, playfully exploring and exposing the language of cinema.
Since 1972 Smith has made over fifty film, video and installation works that have been shown in independent cinemas, art galleries and on television around the world and awarded major prizes at many international film festivals. John Smith lives and works in London. He teaches part-time at the University of East London where he is Professor of Fine Art. His work is held in public collections including Tate Gallery, Arts Council England, Kunstmuseum Magdeburg, FRAC Île de France, Ella Fontanals-Cisneros, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Ferens Art Gallery, Hull. His films are distributed by LUX, London, Video Data Bank, Chicago and Light Cone, Paris.