AITY GALLERY

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY & STATEMENT

FRANS SMIT (b.1976)

Artist Biography

Frans Smit is a renowned South African-born artist whose career spans over two decades, participating in over 50 exhibitions both locally and internationally. Initially trained in photography, Smit transitioned to painting, studying at prestigious institutions such as the Chelsea College of Art and Design, and St Martin’s College of Art and Design in London. He is known for his innovative portraiture and still-life works, where he reinterprets classical subjects using modern techniques, including oil, spray paint, and impasto.Smit’s exhibitions have taken him to major cities worldwide, including New York, London, Hong Kong, Beirut, and Riyadh. His recent exhibitions include “Something Old, Something New” at Christopher Moller Gallery in Cape Town, where he juxtaposes old master techniques with contemporary styles, exploring themes of history, colonialism, and artistic legacy.

Artist Statement

“My work disrupts the traditional portrait, blending classical art forms with abstract and modernist elements. Through this synthesis, I seek to challenge viewers’ perceptions of identity and history, using bold textures and vivid palettes to provoke both a sense of familiarity and disorientation.”

About His Work

Smit’s paintings draw inspiration from European classical paintings, recontextualizing them with modern techniques to address contemporary issues. His distinctive style—fusing realism with abstraction—employs oil-based mediums alongside spray paint, often incorporating bold, impasto brushstrokes. His work is an exploration of visual language, identity, and tradition, reflecting on both the art historical canon and the complexities of modern life. Smit’s exhibition “Middle/South” at Lift Gallery in Riyadh (2024) and his shows at 

Christopher Moller Gallery, “Something Old, Something New” (2024), have cemented his place as a key figure in contemporary South African art. His work, deeply rooted in tradition yet unafraid to challenge norms, continues to engage audiences on an international scale.

Selected Exhibitions

• New African South York, Residency, New York, 2015

• Urban Dawn II, Beirut, 2016

• Trumpomania, McCaig-Welles, New York, 2017

• Scope Art Show, Miami, 2017

• Solo, Galerie Wolfsen, Denmark, 2018

• Solo, Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, 2019

• Works on Paper, Rhodes Contemporary, London, 2021

• Middle/South, Lift Gallery, Riyadh, 2024

• Something Old, Something New, Christopher Moller Gallery, Cape Town, 2024

• Ulfen +, Galerie Wolfsen, Denmark, 2024