As an adjunct to Sam Smith’s exhibition ‘Frames of Reference’ at The Royal Standard, the artist will present a one night performance of ‘Notes on the Apparatus’ (2013-).

Continuing The Royal Standard’s current theme of research, the work is a live video essay that takes the form of a stream of collaged audio-visual clips. It uses prepared film, video and image material to draw together reference points on cinematic language key to Smith’s practice.

Sam Smith has been announced as a grant recipient from The Ian Potter Cultural Trust to undertake an MFA in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College, London.

Please join us for a drink this Monday July 14th to celebrate the publication of Australian artist Sam Smith’s first dedicated monograph.

Agora Collective
Mittelweg 50, 12053 Berlin, Germany

19:00

In his first dedicated monograph Australian artist Sam Smith draws together a number of recent artistic projects accompanied by written contributions from Post Brothers and Jan Verwoert. With a holistic design formulated by the artist, Frames of Reference presents an in depth documentation of his 2014 video installation Form Variations, substantial analysis of past projects and new image work devised specifically for the publication.

Sam Smith
Frames of Reference
Texts by Post Brothers and Jan Verwoert
128 pages, 28 full colour pages, softcover with French flaps
July, 2014
ISBN: 978-3-943196-34-4
A Broken Dimanche Press and Künstlerhaus Bethanien publication.

Purchase the book through the Broken Dinamche Press link below.

Sam Smith has been selected by online video platform Vdrome to perform Notes on the Apparatus, a live video essay that takes the form of a stream of collaged audio-visual clips. It uses prepared film, video and image material to draw together reference points on cinematic language key to Smiths practice.

Vdrome is an online platform that offers regular, high quality screenings of films and videos directed by visual artists and filmmakers, whose production lies in-between contemporary art and cinema. Each screening is presented during a limited period, as in a movie theatre. Vdrome makes available a program of exceptional artists' films and videos that are selected due to their importance, quality and innovative strength, many of which are only shown in the context of film festivals, exhibitions or specific surveys, being therefore of very limited access. Vdrome is an initiative conceived and promoted by Mousse with curators Edoardo Bonaspetti, Jens Hoffmann, Andrea Lissoni and Filipa Ramos.

The trailer for Smith's exhibition at The Royal Standard in August is now online. Watch it below: 

Sam Smith appears in 'Oblio', a publication to coincide with the exhibition 'Oblivion' at Zweigstelle Berlin, May 5-24, 2014. Edited by Elisa Rusca with texts by Professor Dr. Jean-François Démonet, Rebecca Howard, Charlotte Rousseau, Craig Schüftan and Vincent Surmont.

For Liverpool Biennial 2014 The Royal Standard presents three consecutive solo exhibitions of new work by Rob Chavasse (UK), Sam Smith (AU) and Joey Holder (UK) over a 16 week period. The exhibitions will explore different approaches to research in artistic practice, continuing what will be a year long focus on research for The Royal Standard. The three artists have been selected for their forward thinking ideas and techniques which will assist The Royal Standard in finding new avenues for the future development of the organization

Each artist has undertaken a period of research which will continue to develop throughout both their exhibition and the public programme. The three exhibitions will explore different approaches to research, opening up a conversation around of the role of research both within practice and within the process of exhibition making. This is a dialogue The Royal Standard will continue to develop throughout it’s 2014/15 programme.

Following the expansion of The Royal Standard into a neighboring building in 2013, Liverpool Biennial 2014 will see the programme use both spaces for the first time with the use of the original royal standard gallery and introducing the recently refurbished gallery in the newly acquired building. The exhibitions will be accompanied by an ambitious public programme that will enable the artists to continue research initiated through the exhibition process.

The Royal Standard presents its Biennial 2014 programme with talks and a panel discussion from contributing artists Rob Chavasse (UK), Sam Smith (AU) and Joey Holder (UK). A great chance to learn more about our exciting and diverse Biennial programme and hear from the artists first hand about their upcoming projects at The Royal Standard.

Thursday 22 May, 18:00

Fredericks, Hope Street, Liverpool

A back-to-back film screening exploring alternative approaches to narrating memory and experience: Aki Kaurismäki’s (FI) 'The Man Without A Past', 2002, followed by Sam Smith’s (AU) 'The Film Without A Past', 2012.

Part of The Royal Standard’s Testing Bed programme that continues to explore the focus on research in 2014. This six week series of experimental live events, performances and screenings is aimed at creating a body of research that will shape the future programme of the gallery. Working with a selection of international artists known for their innovation and experimentation, The Royal Standard presents a rich programme spanning across various disciplines, artistic mediums and socio-political concerns.

The Man Without A Past is the second part of Kaurismäki’s ‘Finland’ trilogy, of which Jim Jarmusch said “it’s sad enough to make you laugh, and funny enough to make you cry.” The film follows a man who, upon arriving in Helsinki, is severly beaten up resulting in him developing amnesia and being unable to remember anything from his past life.

For The Film Without A Past, artist Sam Smith takes Kaurismäki’s film, directly sampling it but stripping it of its original images, distorting its identity to focus more on its soundtrack. The remaining audio becomes the anchor for a new visual system that builds a montage language from association, retracing and expanding the streets, bars and façades of Kaurismäki's nostalgic Helsinki.