Stefan Smit
Stefan Smit (born 10 February 1990, Johannesburg, South Africa), is a contemporary South African fine artist.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
History[edit]
Born in 1990 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Smit was raised in a creative family. His father, Etienne Smit, is a writer who authored a novel[20] and worked in the film industry. Stefan's paternal grandmother, Mona Smit, and uncle, Ben Smit, were both artists.[21] These creative influences played a central role in Stefan's upbringing. By age ten, Smit had started to work on his collection of sketchbooks and drawings that he still has today. At nineteen, Smit attended the Campus Of Performing Arts to study classical piano, all the while honing his artistic skills by attending live figure drawing classes at a local town hall in Johannesburg. In 2012, Smit left his career in music to dedicate himself to a career as a fine artist. After ten years in Johannesburg, Smit relocated to Cape Town in 2022.
Work and subject matter[edit]
As a South African, Smit has been influenced by socio-political factors and the diversity of cultures in his home country. The overriding theme in Smit’s work is human connection and the physical, economic, or emotional distances between people that either draw them together or push them apart. In his expression of these concepts, Smit explores the interconnected nature of the built and natural environments with the psychological and emotional states of the individuals within them[22]
Exhibitions[edit]
2022:
- ‘32nd Annual Miniature Show’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘International Public Art Festival’[23][24] - Cape Town
2021:
- ‘31st Annual Miniature Show’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- The LA Art Show - USA
- ‘5 X 5 Exhibition’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘Contemporary Figuration’ - Abend Gallery, USA
2020:
- ‘5 X 5 Exhibition’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘BOUND’ Solo Exhibition[25][26][27] - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘Small Works Show’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘30th Annual Mini Show’ - Abend Gallery, USA
- ‘International Public Art Festival’[28] - Cape Town
2019:
- ‘Optimism’ - Lizamore Gallery, Johannesburg
- ‘Greyscale’ - The Viewing Room Gallery,[29] Pretoria
- ‘Birds’ - Rust en Vrede Gallery, Cape Town
- ‘Fases’[30] - Art on Avenues, Somerset West
2018:
- ‘CURB’ Solo Exhibition[31] - GTC, Johannesburg
2017:
- Group Show - Gallery One11,[32] Cape Town
- ‘Untitled’ Co-Solo Exhibition - Bruuns Galeri, Denmark
- Rotary Exhibition - Hyde Park, Johannesburg
- The Gavin Project - Johannesburg
- Joburg Fringe Fair[33] - Johannesburg
- The Bag Factory - Johannesburg
- Daville Baillee Gallery - Johannesburg
2016:
- ‘IMPRINT/BLUEPRINT’[34] Co-solo exhibition - 99 Loop, Cape Town
- Spasie Gallery - Cape Town
2015:
- ‘Figures & Forms’ - Hyde Park, Johannesburg
- ABSA Gallery – Johannesburg CBD
- Gallery Momo – Rosebank, Johannesburg
- Gallery on 6th – Parkhurst, Johannesburg
- Westdene Walls Project[35] - Westdene, Johannesburg
References[edit]
- ^ Times Live (2 December 2018). "Oil Paint & Aerosols: Stefan Smit Creates Magic in Any Medium".
- ^ Arena Holdings Media Portal (2020). "Between Chaos And Order".
- ^ "The SA Artist Magazine - Issue 30". The South African Artist. 2018.
Featured Artist: Stefan Smit
- ^ Brent Lindeque, Good Things Guy (7 April 2022). "Shared Humanity – Take a Peek at Cape Town's Public Art Pieces!".
- ^ "Artists Stefan Smit". Daler Rowney.
- ^ "Georgian Oil Painting - Stefan Smit". Broad Canvas. 2018.
- ^ "Biography". Stefan Smit. 2022.
- ^ "Stefan Smit". Mutual Art. 2021.
- ^ "Stefan Smit Abend Gallery". Abend Gallery.
- ^ City Life Arts (30 July 2021). "South African visual artist Stefan Smit takes Covid-19-inspired art works to L.A Art Show".
- ^ Cape Town Etc. (22 January 2016). "Group Exhibitions at 99 Loop Gallery".
- ^ Northcliffe Melville Times (14 April 2015). "Love All Things Art".
- ^ Buntu Fihla (12 February 2019). "INTERVIEW: The local graffiti artists who painted the spirit of Showmax".
- ^ City Of Joburg (28 July 2021). "City of Joburg Tweet". Twitter.
- ^ Elco Mayjes (2018). "Graffiti Coffee Rides". ebikerSA.
- ^ Lucy Corne (2020). "Brewtiful Streets". Sabinet African Journals.
- ^ Street Art Cities (30 March 2020). "Stefan Smit Digital Anaolg".
- ^ Cape Town Etc (28 March 2022). "Look! The epic new art murals in Cape Town – complete and ready to provoke thoughts".
- ^ Baz-Art. "Meet Stefan Smit".
- ^ "Legend of The Lord of The Wind". Good Reads.
Ettiene L. Smit
- ^ David Schlapobersky and Felicity Potter. "Tim Morris". Pottery.co.za.
"...Mona Smit who did appliqué, Ben Smit working in wrought iron…were honoured with a group exhibition at the RAU Gencor-Gallery, Johannesburg in 1988."
- ^ Hamilton’s Property Portfolio (15 July 2019). "Featured Artist - Stefan Smit".
- ^ Street Art Cities (30 March 2020). "Stefan Smit Digital Anaolg".
- ^ ShelfLife (2022). "The International Public Art Festival 2022".
- ^ Show Me South Africa (24 August 2020). "Stefan Smit Presents his Art Exhibition".
- ^ SA Creative (28 August 2020). "Watch Stefan Smit's Short Film About His Latest Exhibition "Bound"".
- ^ Ruan Kotze (2020). "Bound Stefan Smit Artist". The Reel Thing.
- ^ Barbara Picci (19 April 2022). "Streetart – Stefan Smit @ Cape Town, South Africa".
- ^ Art.co.za. "The Viewing Room Art Gallery: Greyscale". Art.co.za.
- ^ MapMyWay (26 June 2019). "Art on Avenues new group exhibition titled '(f)ases'".
- ^ Creative Feel (27 November 2018). "Curb: A solo exhibition by Stefan Smit".
- ^ "Launch Exhibition". GalleryOne11. 2017.
- ^ "Free Flow". Joburg Fringe. 2017.
- ^ Cape Town Etc. (22 January 2016). "Group Exhibitions at 99 Loop Gallery".
- ^ Derek Smith (2 October 2015). "Ladies of the Night". Flickr.
Chris Valentine & Stefan Smit for The Westdene Walls Project