Frans Smit
Frans Smit, a South African-based artist, has made a significant impact on the art world with his distinctive portraits and still-life paintings. With close to fifty international exhibitions under his belt spanning from Denmark to New York, Smit has amassed a dedicated following of collectors who appreciate his unique style. Working primarily with oils, his deeply layered artworks draw inspiration from traditional European portraiture and still-life paintings. However, Smit adds a contemporary, and sometimes absurd twist to these classical masterpieces. His work invites viewers to discard their preconceived notions of classic portraiture and classic oil paintings, immersing the viewer in Smit’s own visual environment.
The artist approaches compositions with an intense focus, resulting in deeply visceral works. Bold brushstrokes, multiple layers of paint, surprising colour palettes, and deliberate adjustments to traditional refinements, such as facial features, Smit challenges the narrative of historical portraiture and figurative expression.
Smit’s paintings captivate and pull in the viewer with rich tones, textures, and glossy oils – adding a sense of drama and unease to the canvas. His exploration of the freedom found in abstract expressionism, combined with his reverence for historical art, results in a perfect marriage of the two. Through his distinctive approach, Smit disrupts conventions and invites viewers to experience art in a new and thought-provoking way.
Country • South Africa
Medium • Oil on canvas
First exhibition with christopher moller gallery •2022
Explore his Work
Previous exhibitions by Frans Smit
2024
MIDDLE. SOUTH. Lift Gallery. Riyadh. A solo exhibition. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW.. Christopher Moller Gallery - Solo Show. INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR. Christopher Moller Gallery, Cape Town. - Group exhibition.
2023
MY GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING. Mauritshuis Museum, Den Haag, The Netherlands. - Museum show. RMB LATITUDES ART FAIR, Christopher Moller Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa. – Group exhibition.
2022
INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR, Christopher Moller Gallery, Cape Town, (February) – Group exhibition.
POST APOCALYPTIC RENAISSANCE, Galleri Sandberg, Denmark. (September) - Solo Exhibition.
MUSEUM COLLECTION, Christopher Moller Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. Solo Exhibition
2021
PAPER | WORK. A SELECTION OF WORKS ON PAPER, Rhodes Contemporary Art, London, United Kingdom (January) – Group exhibition.
FRANS SMIT | SOLO EXHIBITION, Uitstalling Art Gallery, Belgium (April).
2020
SOLO, Galerie Wolfsen, Denmark, Oct 2020
2019
Columbus Museum of art, Columbus, Ohio, May.
CHROMA, Rhodes Contemporary, London, August. – Summer Group exhibition.
2018
SOLO, Galerie Solo, Antwerp, Belgium, May.
SOLO, Galerie Wolfsen, Denmark, October.
2017
40, Wolfsen Gallery, Denmark, March.
TRUMPOMANIA, McCaig-Welles/ Curator 19.90, New York, March.
ANAMORPHIC PORTRAIT, Mirus Gallery, San Francisco, June.
SCOPE ART SHOW, Wolfsen Gallery, Miami, December.
GROUP COLLECTION, Maddox Gallery, London.
2016
A COHESIVE CLASH, Tanya Baxter, London, March.
URBAN DAWN II, Beirut, October.
2015
NEW AFRICAN SOUTH YORK, Residency, New York.