Professor Richard Sawdon Smith

Professor of Fine Art and Programme Director for Fine Art and Photography

Professor Richard Sawdon Smith is an internationally exhibiting and award-winning photographer. He is a former winner of the John Kobal/National Portrait Gallery Photographic Portrait Award, a Board Member of The bookRoom Press & Archive, on the Editorial Panel of the Journal of Photography & Culture, a member of the Visual AIDS Archive, and Co-editor of Langford’s Basic Photography and The Book is A Live!. His photographs and writing are widely published.

Main research fields and specialisms

Photographic self-portraiture; artists representations of their own diseased or damaged body exploring issues of ill health, identity and subjectivity, sexuality and classification; the AIDS body; photography in relation to institutions practices, photographic archives and tattooing; and the artist/photographic book.

Research grants and awards

• 2017: Gilead Sciences £5000 sponsorship for InSideShow VR research project
• 2013: RCIF award Print Lab grant £60,000
• 2009: SRIF award BookRoom Press & Archive £152,000
• 2005: OneVision European Photographic Award UK Winner €1,000
• 1997: John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award £2,500

Authored Essays and Edited books             

• 2020: R Sawdon Smith ‘The Unknowing…X’ photo essay in Critical Studies of Men’s Fashion, special issue (London, Intellect)
• 2019: R Sawdon smith ‘The Unknowing…X’ photo essay in Uncertain States issue X (32) (Norwich, UCS)
• 2019: R Sawdon Smith ‘A Manifesto: We Are’ Uncertain States issue 30 (Norwich, UCS)
• 2016: R Sawdon Smith and A Fox (ed) Langford’s Basic Photography 10^th Edition (Oxford, Focal Press)
• 2016: R Sawdon Smith ‘The Artist as Collector: Collecting as Research’ Keepers of Culture (London: Uncertain States)
• 2015: R Sawdon Smith and Anna Fox (ed) Langford’s Basic Photography 10th Edition (Oxford, Focal Press)
• 2014: R Sawdon Smith ‘On Morning: Roland Barthes Widowed Mother – the work of Georgia Metaxas’ in Uncertain States issue 20/Open Call
• 2013: R Sawdon Smith ‘Listening to myself: AIDS and the Politics of Representation – a personal perspective’ in HIV in World Cultures edited by Gus Subero (Farnham: Ashgate)
• 2013: R Sawdon Smith and Emmanuelle Waeckerle (ed) The Book is A Live! (Manchester: Cornerhouse)
• 2013: R Sawdon Smith ‘Tattoo Virus: AIDS Representation on the Skin’ in NYX a Noctournal (Goldsmiths University)
• 2013: R Sawdon Smith ‘Queering the New Normal’ in Uncertain States Magazine issue 20
• 2012: R Sawdon Smith ‘Richard Sawdon Smith’ in Out There Magazine (London: Brown Tiger Ltd)
• 2010: R Sawdon Smith and Anna Fox (ed) Langford’s Basic Photography 9th Edition (Oxford, Focal Press)
• 2007: R Sawdon Smith and Anna Fox (ed) Langford’s Basic Photography 8th Edition (Oxford, Focal Press)
• 2004: R Sawdon Smith ‘Exiles of Normality: Photography and the Representation of Diseased Bodies’ in P Wagstaff (ed) Cultures of Exile: Images of Displacement (New York: Berghahn)

Works in Books

• 2019: L Yabsley The Photography Ideas Book (IIex/Tate Publishing)
• 2019: J-R Barbancho Good as You: Representaciones de la homosexualidad en al art  Contemporánneo 2^nd edition (Spain)
• 2019: Evan Straaten, A Anthonissen Queer!? Beeldende kunst in Europa 1969-2019 (Netherlands, Tekst & Regel)
• 2018: N Caruana, A Fox Basic Creative Photography 03: Behind the Image: Research in Photography [2^nd edition] (Switzerland, AVA)
• 2018: R Soto. Indetectable (Barcelona: Contra Escritura)
• 2017: E Evans The Anatomical Tattoo (Chichester: Lotus Publishing)
• 2016: S Kenny ‘The Anatomical Man’ in Skin Deep Magazine issue 268 October (Chester: Jazz Publishing)
• 2016: J-R Barbancho Good as You: Representaciones de la homosexualidad en al art  contemporánneo (Spain)

• 2014: Paco y Manolo (ed) Cuaderno/Guest List (Barcelona)
• 2013: Paul Schulz, Christian Lütjens (ed). Positive Picture: A Gay History (Germany, Bruno Gmünder)
• 2012: N Caruana, A Fox. Basic Creative Photography 03: Behind the Image: Research in Photography (Switzerland, AVA)
• 2010: K Norman Ellis (ed). Spaces Between Us: Poetry, Prose and Art on HIV/AIDS (Chicago, TWP)
• 2004: E Cooper. Male Bodies: A Photographic History of the Nude (Germany: Prestel)
• 2003: N Richardson. Pandemic: Facing AIDS (NY: Umbrage)
• 2003: D Campany. Art and Photography (London: Phaidon)
• 2000: G Griffin. Representation of HIV and AIDS: Visibility Blue/s (Manchester: Manchester University Press)
• 1998: C Townsend. Vile Bodies: Photography and the Crisis of Looking, (Prestel: Germany)
• 1990: E Cooper. Fully Exposed: A History of the Male Nude in Photography, (Routledge: London). Revised Edition 1995

Citations in Books/Journals

• 2004: M Keiran. Revealing Art: Why Art Matters (Routledge)
• 2003: S Brown. Crime and Law in Media Culture (OUP)
• 1999: Body & Society, Vol.5(4): 85-89

Works in Exhibition Catalogues

• 2014: Uncertain States 5, Bank Gallery London Metropolitan University
• 2013: Uncertain States 4, Bank Gallery London Metropolitan University
• 2012: El elogio de la locura. Cuando los compromisos devienen en imagenes by Juan-Ramón Barbancho
• 2011: Transgression, Beers Lambert Contemporary Art
• 2008: Just Different, The Cobra Museum of Modern Art Amstelveen, Netherlands
• 2007: 31 Studio: Platinum Prints 1988 – 2007, Photostroud Festival of Photography
• 2005: Unfinished Works
• 2004: Exposed: 31 Studio 1988 – 2004
• 2002: John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award / NPG
• 2001: Post Viral: Besides, it is always others who die
• 2000: Exposure: Hereford Photography Festival
• 1999: Into the Light: Photographic printing out of the Darkroom, RPS
• 1997: John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award / NPG

Works in Magazines/Online

• 2013: Uncertain States Photography Magazine issue 14
• Sept 2012: Out There Magazine Issue 4
• August 2011: Streetanatomy.com http://streetanatomy.com/2011/08/25/blood-testing-made-simple/
• August 2011: CNN.com http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/10/hiv.tattoos/index.html
• December 2010: Self Publish Be Happy http://selfpublishbehappy.com/?s=sawdon+smith
• December 2010: Streetanatomy.com http://streetanatomy.com/2010/12/02/making-the-internal-external/
• July 2008: They Shoot Homos Don’t They issue 5 Australia
• Dec 2008: HIVPlus magazine
• December 2006, 2007: Zero magazine Spain
• January 2006: New York Art magazine
• May 2004, Sept 2004: Positive Nation, issue 101, issue 104
• 07/03/2003: The Pelham Weekly USAJune 1999: Blue, Australia
• February 1998: Art Review
• 07/07/98: The Independent,
• July 1998: Artscene,
• Nov/Dec 1997, Jan/Feb 1998: The Photographic Journal
• 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003: Time Out, No. 1417, 1439, 1706
• June 1998: Flux: Northern Contemporary Art
• December 1998: Camera Austria
• 27/9/97, 27/6/98: The Times
• 27/9/97, 27/6/98, 17/10/98: The Guardian
• 15/10/97, 22/10/97: Amateur Photographer
• 5/96, 26/9/97: The London Evening Standard
• November 1996: Fortean Times, (cover)
• June 1995: Interiors
• 20/10/89: New Statesman
• August 1989: Body Art
• 27/7/88, 31/8/88, 8/10/97, 15/10/97, 06/12/00: British Journal of Photography
• 1985: Square Peg, Issue 10 (cover), and issue 18 1998

Conference Organisation

• Unbounded: The Agency of Art and Design, CHEAD Annual Conference at Sheffield Hallam University 26-28 March 2019. Keynote speaker Darren Henley OBE Arts Council England
• Human Interfaces: Boarderless (Dis) Connections and Disrupted Futures Association for Photography in Higher Education annual summer International conference at Norwich University of the Arts 19-21 July 2017. Keynotes speakers Mat Collishaw and Duncan Forbes
• 8-9 June 2012: Book Live! International Symposium, LSBU, Speakers included Joan Foncuberta (SP), Sharon Gallagher (US), Michael Mack (UK), Sharon Kivland (UK).

Conference papers

• 11-14 May 2021: “Club 18-58: The Unknowing…X pasts, presents, futures” Queer Representation: Pasts, Presents, Futures conference, University of Edinburgh [online],
• 22 October 2020: “From The Damaged Narcissist to The Anatomical Man to The Unknowing” The London Independent Photographers, invited speaker, London
• 9 September 2020: “The Unknowing…X: Queering representations of masculinity in an undetectable world” Viral Masculinity conference University of Exeter (online)
• 2 May 2020: “The Unknowing…X: Queering representations of masculinity in an undetectable world” Head On Photo Festival  (online)
• 10-11 December 2019: “The Unknowing…X: Queering representations of masculinity in an undetectable world” Massey University, Millennial Masculinities: Queers, Pimp Daddies and Lumbersexuals conference, NZ
• 3 September 2019: “From The Damaged Narcissist to The Anatomical Man to The Unknowing” Norwich Contemporary Art Society (NCAS) invited speaker, The Forum, Norwich
• 16 May 2019: ‘The Body Observed – a Response to the Magnum Photography Exhibition’ Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (SCVA) invited speaker, SCVA, UEA, Norwich
• 2 December 2017: “Immersion into the HIV Body: Politics of Representation, A Personal Perspective” Maison de la culture Frontenac, ‘Témoigner pour agir’Montreal, Canada
• 19-21 July 2017: “In Sideshow: Immersion in to the 3D Body” Association for Photography in Higher Education Conference, NUA
• 23 February 2016: “A Body of Work: The changing face of photography in the 21st century” Professorial talk at NUA
• 10 June 2015: “The Artist as Collector: Colleting as Research” Invited speaker Derby Format Festival, UK, The Art of Collection Talks
• 20 November 2015: “The Artist as Collector: Colleting as Research” Invited speaker Victoria and Albert Museum, London, The Art of Collection Talks
• 1 April 2014: “From the Damaged Narcissist to the Anatomical Man” invited guest speaker at Uncertain States monthly talks, London
• 21 May 2013: “Queering the New Normal: The Future is Gay” invited speaker at Photography and Queerness Study Day Swedenborg Society London
• 2 April 2012: “The Anatomical Man: Tattoos, AIDS and Photography” University College London, Art History Department Seminar 2
• 29-31 March 2012: “The Anatomical Man: Tattoos, AIDS and Photography” Association of Art Historians Annual Conference, Open University
• 23 June 2011: “The Anatomical Man: Drawing the line on the Aids body” Keynote speaker at Covering & Exposing symposium, UCA Epsom
• 4-5 February 2010: “Drawing the Line on the AIDS Body”, Drawing the Line Against AIDS conference, University of Adelaide, Australia
• 5–13 December 2008: “Listening to Myself: Imagining the AIDS Body Through Photography”, AIDS in Culture V: Imaging and Imagining AIDS conference, Mexico City
• 30 May 2008: “In the Archive: Out of the Closet”, presented at the AIDS/ART/WORK conference, CUNY Graduate School, NY
• 31 May – 3 June 2001: “Exiles of Normality: Photography and Representations of Diseased Bodies”, presented at the International Colloquium ‘Exils/Exiles’ conference, Herstmonceux Castle Sussex
• 30-31 March 2001: “Get me OUT of the Archive: AIDS, Photography and the ‘Abnormal’ Body”, presented at the University of Massachusetts ‘Borderlands: Remapping Zones of Cultural Practice and Representation’ conference
• 18 November 2000: “A Naked Man Suffering From Water Retention In His Testicles”: Photography and the Representation of Disease, presented to the British Sociological Association, London ‘Gender Aesthetics and the Body’ conference

Practice and research outputs

• 2014: Impossible Gallery, ‘Guest List’, Barcelona Spain
• 2014: Artist Corner Gallery, ‘Round Hole, Square Peg: Art With A Manifesto’, Hollywood, USA
• 2014: PhotoLA ‘Round Hole, Square Peg: Art With A Manifesto’, Los Angeles, USA
• 2014: Bank Gallery, London Metropolitan University ‘Uncertain States 5’ London, Nov
• 2014: Four Corners ‘Uncertain States Editions’ London June
• 2013: Newsnight BBC 2, 04/09/13 – item on history of tattoos
• 2013: Bank Gallery, London Metropolitan University ‘Uncertain States 4’ London, Nov
• 2013: MACT/CACT Museo d’arte Contemporanea Ticino ‘The Solitary Body: Self-portraiture in Contemporary Photography’ Ticino, Switzerland
• 2013: Smart Cloths Gallery ‘Round Hole, Square Peg: Queer Identity in the 21st Century’, New York, USA
• 2012: Royal Academy of Arts ‘Summer Exhibition’ 4th June – 12th August, London UK
• 2012: Rise Berlin (sole show) ‘The Anatomical Man’ 9th – 31st August, Berlin Germany
• 2012: Beers Lambert Project Space ‘Transgression’ 2nd June – 12th August , London, UK
• 2011: Fred International Ltd ‘Queer Self-portraits Now’ 24th Nov – 29th Jan 2012 London, UK
• 2010: International Museum of Surgical Science, ‘Street Anatomy’ Chicago, USA
• 2010: Gallery of Contemporary Art Bunkier Sztuki, ‘Nothing is in Place’ Photomonth Krakow, Poland
• 2010: Rise Berlin ‘Happiness Machines’, Berlin, Germany 26th March – 25th April
• 2008: Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos ‘Listening to Myself’, (solo show) Aids in Culture Conference, Mexico City, Mexico
• 2008: Cobra Museum of Modern Art, ‘Just Different’, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2008: Student Cultural Centre (solo show) ‘Art Pos(t)er / AIDS Pos(t)er’, Belgrade, Serbia
• 2008: Centro Historia Zaragossa, ‘El cuerpo (con) sentido’, Spain
• 2007: Student Cultural Centre ‘In Difference’ Belgrade, Serbia
• 2007: Rise Berlin ‘Leben Lieben’, Berlin, Germany
• 2006: MOCCA Courtyard The XVI International AIDS Conference, ‘In Tents City’, Toronto, Canada
• 2005: Visual AIDS Web Gallery, “The Damaged Narcissist’ (curation)
• 2005: Orange County Contemporary Arts Gallery, ‘Unfinished Work’, California, USA
• 2005: Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, “Refuse to Die”, Toronto, Canada
• 2005: CDC Public Health Museum, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Atlanta, GA, USA
• 2004: Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, ‘One Vision’ Finland
• 2004: Museum Kina of Gent, ‘One Vision’ Belgium
• 2004: The XV International AIDS Conference, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Bangkok, Thailand
• 2004: Palais de Tokyo, ‘OneVision’ Paris France
• 2003: Bombay, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, India
• 2003: The Philadelphia Art Alliance, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, PA, USA
• 2003: Brown University, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Providence, RI, USA
• 2003: Pelham Arts Centre, ‘Photo I-D: 21st Century Self-Portraits’, NY NY
• 2003: The Tretyakov Gallery, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Moscow, Russia
• 2002: United Nations, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, NY, USA
• 2002: Pretoria Art Museum, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Pretoria, South Africa
• 2002: MACBA The XIV International AIDS Conference, ‘Pandemic: Imaging AIDS’, Barcelona, Spain
• 2002: National Portrait Gallery ‘John Kobal Award 10th Anniversary’ London, UK
• 2001: Pamukbank Fotografgalerisi, ‘Isik Acik!’ (Into the Light), Istanbul, Turkey
• 1999: La Calcografia Nacional, ‘A Plena Luz’ (Into the Light), Madrid, Spain
• 1998: Belem Cultural Centre, Expo’98 ‘A Stroll Through the Century’, Lisbon, Portugal
• 1997: National Portrait Gallery ‘John Kobal Award’ London, UK
• 1997 – 1999: Art reviewer / critic: BBC GLR 94.9
• 1992: The Deep Gallery, (solo show), Tokyo, Japan,
• 1992: Galerie Godante, (solo show), Kobe, Japan
• 1991: Salon International de la Recherche Photographique (S.I.R.P.), Royan, France

External Examiner Roles

• 2015 – 2016: City College Norwich and Great Yarmouth College, Access to HE Art & Design and Media
• 2013 – 2018: BA (Hons) Contemporary Photographic Art Practice Northbook College
• 2011 – 2014: BA (Hons) Photography, Canterbury Christ Church University
• 2005 – 2009: MA Photography, Swansea’s Metropolitan University
• 2003 – 2006: BA (Hons) Photography, Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London