Lionel Smit

Art Brokerage: Lionel Smit South African Artist: b. 1982. Lionel Smit was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1982. He is renowned for his monumental portraiture works on canvas in paintings, sculpture, silkscreen, video and public installations. Since his first solo exhibition in 2009, Smit’s work has been exhibited locally and Internationally in prestigious galleries and art fairs. His work is currently showcased in a solo exhibition at the Didrichsen Art Museum, Helsinki; a public sculpture of his is currently featured in Union Square, New York City. Smit’s painting, Kholiswa, received the Viewer’s Choice Award as part of the BP Portrait Award 2013 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. It was also the ‘face’ of all advertising campaigns for this exhibition. He has been a featured artist at the Miami Art Fair 2014 and on the cover of Christie’s catalogue in London 2009. Recent exhibitions include Echo, with Cynthia Reeves Gallery on the campus of MASS MOCA in North Adams, Massachusetts and New Release, a solo exhibition with Everard Read in Johannesburg. Smit was also featured at the Cape Town Art Fair in conjunction with Everard Read. Other exhibitions include Trace – a solo exhibition with Rook & Raven New York and Obscura 2 – a solo exhibition with Rook & Raven London. In recent years, he has been honoured with a Ministerial Award from the South African Department of Culture for Visual Art. Over the past 10 years he has established a substantial international following with collectors ranging from the Standard Chartered Bank to Laurence Graff Art Collection at Delaire Graff Wine Estate. His process as an artist today remains adaptive, inventive, and physically engaging. He supports several charities on a regular basis with donations of artworks for auction, including ArtAngels, Wild Aid and the MAD Charity. Listings wanted.