SharonSmithnameplate.jpg
 

Smith was an early adopter of instant photography, documenting New York in the 1970's with the Polaroid SX-70. She has continued to create photography and video work, including a feature length film that combines her interests in spirituality and Eastern religion.

All works courtesy of the artist.


 
 

NightLife in NYC

1980-1989
Polaroids
3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (single image), 32 x 30 3/4 in. (frame)
Unique

NightLife in NYC (Kenny and Arthur at the red parrot)

1982
Polaroid
3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (single image), 32 x 30 3/4 in. (frame)
Unique

NightLife in NYC (On the Phone, Rock Club)

1980
Polaroid
3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (single image), 32 x 30 3/4 in. (frame)
Unique

NightLife in NYC (MADONNA)

1982
Polaroid
3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (single image), 32 x 30 3/4 in. (frame)
Unique

 

From the artist:

"The pleasure of producing a picture instantly and sharing it with whomever happened to be around satisfied some deep, primitive need for communication. The complex technology that made this possible gave me an opportunity to combine performance, choreography, and a dash of psychic sensitivity with the more obvious goal of taking a good picture. . . . The clubs were crawling with weirdos: Peroxide blond teens dressed in orange jumpsuits designed to protect them from nuclear waste, bee-hived gals in cocktail dresses from the 1950's, pretty boys in bikinis in the dead of winter. . . . Prowling around in the dark during that time, I had a creative awakening as I witnessed something unique and unrepeatable. Astrologers called it the manifestation of Pluto and Neptune. I called it evolution. People were changing. The social order was changing, molting, transforming, right in front of my eyes and the lens of my camera." 

- Statement, year?

 
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CV

MAJOR EXHIBITIONS

“Behind The Curtain”, Images from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia & Ukraine, Tyler Gallery, Alexandria, VA, 2001

"Celebrity Polaroids", The Gershwin Hotel, NY, 1996

"Interrupted Lives, Color Pictures of Russia", Gulf & Western Gallery, New York University, NY, Wismar, Germany, 1996

"Through the Lens: Contemporary Photography", G.E. Gallery, General Electric Company, World Headquarters, Fairfield, CT, 1995

"Portraits of Liberty", Spectra Theater, World Trade Center, NY, 1986

Joe & Emily Lowe Gallery, Syracuse University, Syracuse, 1985


GROUP EXHIBITIONS

“Yaddo NYC Benefit Auction”, New York, 2009

“Photographic Works Exhibition and Sale to Benefit the Foundation for Contemporary Arts”, Cohan and Leslie Gallery, New York, 2008

“Yaddo Artists Anniversary Exhibition”, Williamsburg Art Center, Brooklyn, 2000

"Contacts: Proofs", The Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, 1993

"Selections 4", Fotofest, Houston, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Caracas, Venezuela, Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Musee de l'Elysee, Lausanne, Photokina, Cologne, 1988-90

"24 Exposures", Union Square Gallery, NYC, 1987

"America: Faces & Places", Liberty Hall, Honolulu, 1985

"Polaroid Photography", Dazibao Gallery, Montreal, Gallery 14, Toronto, 1984

"Art, Science & Creativity in Instant Photography", Castello Sforzesco, Milan, 1984

"The Family of Man, 1955-1984", P.S. #1, Long Island City, 1984

"Portraits from the Museum Collection", Houston Museum of Fine Arts, 1983

"3-D Photographs", Hermann Wunsche Gallery, Bonn, Castelli Graphics, NY, 1983

"Selections 1", Photokina, Cologne, 1982

"The History of Portrait Photography", Rheinischelandes Museum, Bonn, 1982

"Love is Blind", Castelli Photographs, NY, 1982

"SX-70 Art", Clarence Kennedy Gallery, Cambridge, Europhoto, Belgium, Polaroid Gallery, Germany, Creo3, Vancouver, Resgalerie, Hamburg, Salford University, England, Polaroid Gallery, Zurich, 1980-81

"Amalgam", Castelli Graphics, NY, 1980

"Exploration of a Medium: Instant Photography", Rheinischelandes Museum, Bonn, Frankfurter Kunstverein Museum, Frankfurt, 1980

"Photographs from The Long Island Project", The Emily Lowe Gallery, Hofstra University, NY, 1980

"Uptown on Main Street", Clarence Kennedy Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1980

"One of a Kind: An Exhibition of Recent Polaroid Color Photography", The Art Institute of Chicago, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, The Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Arts, University of Arizona, Tucson, Minneapolis Institute of Fine Arts, De Cordova Museum, Lexington, Houston Museum of Fine Arts; The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, 1978-80

"The SX-70 Show", CEPA Gallery, Buffalo, New York, 1979

"Walker Evans, Lynn Lown, Sharon Smith", Afterimage Gallery, Dallas, Texas, 1979

"Pictures: Photographs", Castelli Graphics, NY, NY, 1979

"7 Photographers in Color", Rice University Media Center, Houston, 1979

"The Polaroid Collaboratory", And/Or, Seattle, ASpace, Toronto, Light Fantastic, East Lansing, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, Open Space Gallery, Victoria, BC, 1979

"Photographs of People", Soho Center for Visual Artists, NY, NY, 1978

 "Eye of the West: Camera Vision & Cultural Consensus", MIT, Hayden Gallery, Cambridge, 1977

"The Instant Image", Camerawork Gallery, San Francisco, 1977


SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Hofstra University Library, Special Collections Department, Hempstead, NY
Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
The Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass.
Polaroid Europa, Offenbach, Germany
Polaroid Far East, LTD, Hong Kong


SELECTED PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Landau-Ghen Collection – Philadelphia, PA
Lawrence and Rachelle Stallman – Albany, NY
Stephen & Jane Weil – Houston, Texas
Stanley & Jan Tartakov – Wimberley, Texas
Hunt Slonem – New York, NY
Joel & Susan Agee – Brooklyn, NY
Elaine Mayes – Brookings, Oregon
Jan H. Brown - New York, NY
Zorina Guri - Brooklyn, NY
Matthew Mallow – New York, NY


PUBLICATIONS
The Polaroid Book, Selections from the Polaroid Collection of Photography, Taschen, 2005

Rebel Magazine, Paris, France, 2003

“Camera Girl in NYC”; Love is Blind, Powerhouse Press, NYC, 1997

Sierra Magazine, “Edge of Eden, San Francisco, 1997

Lapis, “A Russian Essay, 1995; Exploring Color Photography, Wm. C. Brown Communications, Madison, WI, 1992, 1996

European Travel & Life, "Moscow Madness: A Guide", NYC, May, 1992

Aperture, "Haiti: Feeding The Spirit", #126, NYC; Winter, 1992

Marco Polo, "The Cafe Budapest-Moscow", Tokyo, Japan; November, 1991

Modern Photography, "The Well-Traveled Camera", NYC, 1988

Woman of Power, "Windowpeace", Cambridge, Mass.; Issue 10, Summer, 1988

Insight Magazine, "Korea, Learning the Steps to the Democracy Dance", Washington Times, 1987

Center Quarterly, "The Yin & Yang of White Gloves: A Picture Editor's Point of View", Catskill Center for Photography, Woodstock; 1987

Instants Magazine, Sharon Smith, "Instant Rapport", Meredith Publishing, Des Moines; 1987

Skylines Magazine, "Prints of the City", "Future Perfect", Brighton Square Publishing, Austin; 1986

PHOTO*LETTER, "A Polaroid in Cuba", Texas Photographic Society, Austin, Vol. 6, #2, Winter, 1985  

New Directions, The Gallery of World Photography, Dai Nippon Press, Tokyo, 1984

The ICP Encyclopedia of Photography, Crown Publishers, Inc., NYC, 1984

ART News, "Sanitation Transformation", NYC, 1984

GEO Magazine, "The Odyssey of a Seal", NYC, 1983

PICTURE Magazine, Issue #19, "New York", Los Angeles; 1982

Kunstforum International, "Portrait und Milieu Zeitgenossische Farbfotografie", Koln; 1982

Modern Photography, "Color Now", NYC, 1982

Printletter, "Establishing a Photographic Workshop", Zurich, Vol. 6, Jan/Feb., 1981

Newsday--Long Island Magazine, "Photographs from The Long Island Project", Garden City, 1980

SX-70 Art, Lustrum Press, NYC; 1979

Popular Photography, "The Instant & Beyond", NYC 1978


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Who’s Who of American Women, Marquis, Wilmette, IL, 1991

The NY Art Review, American References, Chicago, 1988

The New York Times, “Portraits of Liberty”, Andy Grundberg, NY, 1986

Macmillan Biographical Encyclopedia of Photographic Artists & Innovators, Turner Browne & Elaine Partnow, MacMillan, NY, 1984

La Presse, “Le Polaroid ou l’art Instantane”, Jocelyn Page, Montreal, 1984

Afterimage, “Flushing Out the Facts- The Long Island Project”, Judith Gerger, Rochester, 1980

Photoshow, “Polaroid: Toward a Dangerous Future”, A.D. Coleman, NY; 1980

The Soho News, “Some Fare Over the Rainbow”, Andy Grundberg, NY, 1980

Modern Photography, “Out on Long Island, Shades of the FSA”, Andy Grundberg, NY, 1979

The Washington Star, “Polaroid Technology Gets a One of a Kind Showing”, James Cassell, Washington, 1979

Close-up Magazine, “One of A Kind”, A.D. Coleman, Cambridge, 1979

The Soho News, “Summer Tonics”, Andy Grundberg, NY, 1979

The Village Voice, “Voice Choice”, Fred McDarrah, NY, 1978


GRANTS, AWARDS & PRESENTATIONS 
Polaroid Corporation Grant, 1994-1995, 1989-90, 1977-1984
Leica Professional Programs, 1995, 1992, 1990, 1988
Nimslo Camera Corporation Grant, 1982
Olympus Camera Corporation Grant, 1978  
ArtsLink/George Soros Open Society Grant, 1994
Workshop Leader - Montage'93 Media Educators Forum, Rochester, NY 1993
Residency - Yaddo Artists' Colony, Saratoga, New York, 1992
Susan B. Anthony Award NY City Chapter of NOW 1988
Wismar Institute of Art, Wismar, Germany, Guest Lecture 1994
Hungarian Academy of Crafts and Design, Guest Lecture 1994
NYU Guest Lecture 1993, 1985
The New York Open Center, Guest Lecture 1993
University of Texas, Austin Guest Lecture 1990, 1982
International Center of Photography, Guest Lecture 1985
University of Houston, Guest Lecture 1982
Emerson College, Boston, Mass., Guest Lecture 1977
Panelist, International Center of Photography 1978
National Endowment for the Arts Survey Grant, 1978