B. 1992, London, UK Lives and works in London
Maxima Smith’s work, primarily based in moving image, examines the mediation of the camera, somatic processing, and is influenced by the slippage between sincerity and absurdity. She questions feminine archetypes and roles, critiquing gendered acts such as mimicry to reinforce the performativity of gender. Smith situates much of her work in the blurred boundary between ‘on’ and ‘off-stage,’ where questions arise of how we act and perform ourselves. Her films are often shown on loop, and in installation, in order to emphasise the rhythmic and ritualistic qualities which reappear throughout her work. In parallel, Smith holds a position on the board of executives of Artists Union England, and works with a large number of (grassroots) initiatives and organisations to publicly make the case for increased cultural funding, as well as interrogating and working towards changing the poor working conditions in the (art) world.
Education:
Dutch Art Institute, MA, October 2021–August 2023
Slade School of Fine Art, BA (4 years) 1st Class Honours, September 2012–July 2016
Central St Martins, Fine Art Foundation, Distinction, September 2011–May 2012
Awards/Commissions:
A-n Support Creative Practice Funding 2022
Black Dogs Collective Funding, 2019
Queen Mary's Commission and Award, 2017
The Queens Hall Digital Commission, 2017
Alfred Rich Scholarship, 2012
Solo Exhibitions:
2024:
Crocodile Tears, Asylum Studio’s Gallery, (Suffolk, U.K)
LADA Screens: Maxima Smith – Crying with my Family, Live Art Development Agency, (London)
2021:
The Window Part 1: Ode to a Window Cleaner, The Clarence (North East London)
2018:
Puppet Portraits, The French House (Soho, London)
Ode to a Window Cleaner, The People's Palace (East London)
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024:
Mirroring touring show: theater deuitkijk, desloot, de appel, Theatre Bellevue, (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
2023:
Where the Moon is up, Centrales Fies, (Trento, Italy)
2022:
Visions in the Nunnery, Nunnery Gallery, (Bow, London)
La Dea Invisibile | Invisible Goddess, Magazzino Gallery Finissage, (Venice, Italy)
2021:
Dillwyn Smith, Maxima Smith, Woom Collaboration, The Round Chapel, (East London)
2020:
Visions in the Nunnery–Programme 1– Hetain Patel, The Nunnery Gallery (Bow, London)
Re-enchanted Matter, APT Gallery (Deptford, London)
To all our absent dialogues, 155a Gallery (Dulwich, London)
2019:
Pixelache2019 Oranssi, (Kaasutehtaankatu Helsinki)
2018:
Visions in the Nunnery- Programme 1–Tina Keane, The Nunnery Gallery (Bow, London)
Retrospective, Queens Hall Digital Gallery Space (Northumberland)
The Bomb Factory Artist Film Festival, AWEsome Art Space–Art Week Exeter (Exeter)
Malevolent Eldritch Shrieking, Attercliffe (Sheffield)
2017:
The Next Thing, Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre (Bury)
The Working Artist: The East London Group, Nunnery Gallery (Bow, London)
Two Glass Eyes Are Better Than One, Thames-Side Studios (Greenwich, London)
Bow Open Show by Alex Chinneck, Nunnery Gallery (Bow, London)
The Bomb Factory Film Festival 3, The Bomb Factory (Archway London)
Talks and events:
2024:
LADA Screens; Maxima Smith, discussion with Tania Camara
Side Hustling for a Sustainable Practice, panel discussion with Juliet Jacques & Philomena Pirecki, Somerset House
The One Minutes, Mirroring, a conversation with the Artists
2023:
Crying with Friends performance: Centrales Fies
2022:
La Dea Invisibile | Invisible Goddess–Conversation with the Artist, Magazzino Gallery Finissage, (Venice, Italy)
2019:
Future Fossils, Turf Projects, London
2018:
We should all be Mothers, discussion group at the loft, Croydon Art Store, Art Licks Weekend
2017:
East London Group Then & Now, Panel Discussion at The Nunnery Gallery
The Nunnery Gallery Frieze First Thursdays, Live Performance evening of Ode to a Window Cleaner