Paul M Smith

Paul M Smith is course director for the BA Hons Photography at Coventry University. He originally studied Fine Art at Coventry University and as part of his course he undertook a research project into contemporary art which included living on an Aboriginal reserve for four months.

After completing his degree at Coventry he completed a Masters degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art. During this time he examined the meaning and construction of masculinity, concentrating on the cultural and visual creation of various alpha male identities.

Smith’s commissioned work includes pieces for Channel 4, Matterson’s, and the CD cover for Robbie Williams’ Sing when you’re winning. His work has been shown at the Saatchi Gallery, Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil in Mexico City, The National Portrait Gallery, The Photographers Gallery, Technisches Museum Wien in Austria the Australian Centre for Photography.

In 2004 Goliath published ‘Paul M Smith, Photographs’. This book catalogued his work from 1997–2004. Smith’s work can also be found in ‘Digital Art’ published by Thames and Hudson.

Clare Rae

she said:
I’m an artist I also teach in photography and I’ve been making artwork for about nearly 20 years that utilizes my body in relation to architectural space.

In her photographic practice Clare explores ideas of performance and gesture to interrogate and subvert dominant modes of representation. Her work is informed by feminist theory, and presents an alternate and often awkward experience of subjectivity and the female body, usually the artists’ own.

A central interest within her practice is the exploration of performance documentation, specifically how the camera can act as a collaborator, rather than mute witness, to the performer.

Known for her engagement with domestic and institutional spaces, recently Clare’s work has been captured and exhibited in locations such as the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), the National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, the Abbotsford Convent, Sutton Project Space and the Substation, Melbourne.

In 2020 Clare began a PhD at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. She completed a Master of Arts by research in 2014 at Monash University, and received first class Honours in Fine Art in 2009 at RMIT University. Her work is held in public and private collections nationally, including Art bank, The National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, RMIT University.

Clare is a founding member of LAST Collective.