Matt Smith CV

Matt J Smith (b 1971) is an artist working in England and Ireland. In his practice Smith explores how contemporary practice can address and unpick historic legacies, imbalances and omissions. His work explores how the artistic canon can be stretched and altered, allowing objects to review the status quo.

Smith is best known for his interventions in museums and historic buildings. Drawing on institutional critique, identity politics and curatorial practice, his works disrupt traditional readings of art and material culture and examine who gets heard in cultural organisations.

Notable solo exhibitions include Flux at the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge 2018), Losing Venus at the Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford 2020) Queering the Museum at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (2010), 20:20, Crafts Council (London 2020) and Who Owns History? Brighton Museum (2023). In 2015/16 he was Artist in Residence at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Recent shows include Untold Lives at Kensington Palace (London 2024) British Studio Pottery and the V&A at the Victoria and Albert Museum (London 2024) and Self Made at the Foundling Museum (London 2024) and Following Threads at Crawford Art Gallery (Cork, 2023).

Smith holds a BA in Ceramics from the University of Westminster, an MA in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester, where he is an Honorary Fellow, and a PhD from the University of Brighton. He was Professor of Ceramics at Konstfack University, Stockholm.

Accolades include the Brookfield Prize (2020), Collect Object of the Fair (2018) and Aspex Prize (2010). His work is held in numerous private collections internationally and major museum collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, National Museum of Norway, National Museum of Scotland and National Museum of Northern Ireland, with acquisitions funded by the Contemporary Art Society and the Art Fund.

Selected Exhibitions

2025

  • Memorial Gestures, Holocaust Centre North

2024

  • Untold Lives: A Palace at Work, Kensington Palace
  • British Studio Pottery and the V&A, V&A
  • Self Made: Reshaping Identities, Foundling Museum

2023

  • Who Owns History?solo show at Hove Museum
  • Following Threads, Crawford Art Gallery

2022  

  • Piranesi: For the Love the Master, Dublin Castle
  • At Home: A Panorama of our Domestic Lives, Biennale Internationale Design St Etienne
  • The Hands that Unravel the Sweater, North Norwegian Arts Centre
  • Speech Sounds, VISUAL Carlow
  • Expo Chicago, represented by Cynthia Corbett Gallery

2021  

  • Portfolio Critical Selection, Design & Crafts Council Ireland, Donaraile House
  • Monochrome, Ruthin Craft Centre

2020  

  • Losing Venus, solo show at Pitt Rivers Museum
  • Collect, represented by Cynthia Corbett Gallery

2019 

  • Cultural Icons, Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
  • FABRIK, Gustavsberg Konsthall

2018  

  • Flux: Parian Unpacked , solo show at Fitzwilliam Museum
  • Orlando at the Present Time, Charleston House
  • Collect, represented by Cynthia Corbett Gallery

2017  

  • Hanbury Hall, commission for National Trust
  • Coming Out, Walker Art Gallery
  • AWARD, British Ceramics Biennial
  • Collect, represented by Cynthia Corbett

2016  

  • 31 Note LoveSong, London Design Festival
  • Artist in Residence, Victoria and Albert Museum

2015  

  • Nature Morte, international tour organized by Michael Petry
  • Collect, represented by Cynthia Corbett
  • Leaving Home, Contemporary Applied Arts
  • London Art Fair, represented by Ink_d

2014 

  • A Place at the Table, Pallant House
  • Young Masters Art Prize, Lloyds Club and Spinx Fine Art, London (catalogue)
  • ReClaim I RePurpose, CultureCraft, Derry (catalogue)
  • Unravelling Uppark, The National Trusts (catalogue)
  • London Art Fair, represented by Ink_d

2013

  • Subversive Design, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
  • Unravelling the Vyne, The National Trusts (catalogue)
  • London Art Fair, representented by Liberty Gallery

2012

  • Unravelling Nymans, Nymans House, The National Trust (catalogue)
  • Other Stories: Leeds University Art Collection (solo show, catalogue)

2010

  • Queering the Museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery  (solo show, catalogue)
  •  DIY a Craft Revolution, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh (touring show)
  • Milk, ASPEX, Portsmouth, (solo show)
  • Unravelling the Manor House, Preston Manor (catalogue)

2008

  • V&A Showcase in partnership with the Crafts Council
  • Rare, MK-Artworks

Awards

2024

  • Artist in Residence, Holocaust Centre North

2023

  • Artist in Residence, Centre for Print Research at the University of the West of England
  • Commission for new work, Historic Royal Palaces

2022

  • Speech Sounds Award for Bring me the body of Cardinal Newman, Visual Carlow

2021

  • Irish Arts Council Bursary

2020

  • Brookfield Properties Award, at Collect

2019

  • Arts Council Grant for Losing Venus at the Pitt Rivers Museum

2018

  • Object of the Show, Collect at the Saatchi Gallery

2017

  • Arts Council Grant for Flux: Parian Unpacked at the Fitzwilliam Museum
  • Commission for new work, National Trust Hanbury Hall

2016

  • Arts Council Grant to make Wunderkammer

2015

  • Artist in Residence bursary at the V&A

2014    

  • Winner of the inaugural Maylis Grand Young Masters Prize for ceramics

2013

  • Arts Council Grant to work with Alice Kettle

2011

  • Art Council Grant for Unravelled: three year funding for craft interventions at National Trust Properties
  • Arts Council Grant for Other Stories: Leeds University Art Collection

2010

  • Arts and Humanities Research Council grant for PhD in Queer Craft
  • Arts Council Grant for Queering the Museum

2009 

  • Arts Council Grant for the Arts Award to set up Unravelled, a group exploring art in Historic Buildings
  • Commissioned by ShOUT! Festival to develop new work
  • arc award, aspex gallery. Grant with 12 months mentoring and a solo show in 2010

2008

  • Selected by Arts and Business for Visual, a scheme which aims to promote businesses to commission and work with contemporary artists
  • Arts Council Grant for the Arts Award to develop new work and be mentored by Stephen Dixon for 18 months

Employment

2024

  • Panel Member, Acceptance in Lieu/Cultural Gifts Scheme

2017 – 2022

  • Professor of Craft, specialising in Ceramics and Glass, Konstfack University of the Arts, Stockholm

2016 –

  • Honorary Visiting Fellow, School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester

Education

 2016

  • Making Things Perfectly Queer: Art’s use of Craft to signify LGBT identities.
    AHRC funded PhD, University of Brighton

2006

  • Ceramics,  BA Hons (2.1), Westminster University

2003 – 2005

  • Fine and Applied Arts (Ceramics),  Dip HE, City Lit

 1996 – 1998

  • Museum Studies,  MA, Leicester University

1989 – 1993

  • Managerial & Administrative Studies,  BSc Hons (2.1), Aston University