MEGAN GEORGIA SMITH

Megan Georgia Smith (born 1999) is an artist from Aldershot, Hampshire. Often, her work is autobiographical, drawing upon her own social and cultural surroundings for inspiration. Artworks of Megan's have been exhibited in galleries such as The Mall Gallery (July 2017), Aspex Gallery (as part of the Platform Graduate Award 2020 exhibition) and at Tate Britain (December 2021).

I am a painter/sculptor whose work documents & explores notion of class, youth culture & generally, the condition of being human. I live in Aldershot and spend a lot of time in Southampton, so imagery in my works are influenced by my own background & my current social & cultural surroundings. I often amplify stereotypes of young, working-class people in my work, as these are who I feel I most identify with in society, as a 25-year-old from working-class roots. I amplify such stereotypes, to illustrate a dark sense of humour, critiquing & mocking the idea that every working-class/ young person can be categorized this way – when of course, they can’t.

ARTIST CV

Exhibitions / Residencies

2023

Grad Race, Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset

2022

Platform Alumni Residency, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth

BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH!, The Hidden Wardrobe, Southampton

2021

Power To Us, Yellow Edge Gallery, Gosport

This is Not a Show, Working Class Creatives Database (Virtual Exhibition)

ArtHelix: Life Interrupted - Painting during the Pandemic, SHIM Art Network, Artsy (Virtual Exhibition)

Ripe Tomato Catch-Up, Alfred Arcade, Southampton

Arts Open Exhibition, Culture on Call, West End Centre, Aldershot

Space 2 Create, The Hidden Wardrobe, Southampton

Platform Alumni Residency, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth (Dec '21 - March '22)

Life Between Islands, Late at Tate Britain, Tate Britain, London

2020

Solent Fine Art Degree Show (Virtual Exhibition), Southampton

Platform Graduate Award, Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth

Ripe Tomatoes, The Alfred Arcade (Virtual Exhibition), Southampton

Arts Open Exhibition, Culture on Call, West End Centre (Virtual Exhibition), Aldershot

The Social Distance Art Project 2020, TSDAP (Virtual Exhibition)

2019

Docked, Guildhall Square, Southampton

Made in Southampton, Re:So, Southampton

Fire in the Swimming Pool, Pocko Gallery, London

Megan Georgia Smith, The Art House, Southampton

2018

Solent University Fine Art Exhibition, Herbert Collins Building, Southampton

2017

Student Submissions, Mall Gallery, London

2016

New Tate Modern exhibition, Tate Modern, London

Experience

2024

Engagement Coordinator @ Watts Gallery Artist Village, Guildford

2021 - 2023

Assistant Facilitator @ The Agency, Energise Me, Southampton

Freelance Learning Facilitator @ The Lightbox, Woking

Freelance Artist Educator Learning and Engagement @ Watts Gallery Artist Village, Guildford

Gallery Assistant @ New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham (2023)

2020

Gallery Assistant, Solent Showcase Gallery, Southampton

Local Digital Artist, Serious Violence Summit for Hampshire Constabulary and Southampton City Council

Online Exhibition Curator for Graduate Showcase 2020, Solent Showcase Gallery, Southampton

2019

Exhibition Marketing and Promotion (Internship), Solent Showcase Gallery, Southampton

Education

Southampton Solent University

First Class Honors Degree - BA Fine Art (2017-2020)

Farnborough Sixth Form College

A-Levels (2015-2017)

Fine Art, Graphic Design, English Literature (Grades A-B)

Farnham Heath End School

11 GCSE's including English and Maths (Grades A*- C)