Helen Smith

Helen Smith’s work is influenced by a formal, minimalist view-point with simplicity of form and geometric abstraction generally contributing to the outcome. Oil on canvas paintings, large-scale wall works and a number of ongoing photographic series derived from an interest in social and cultural systems form the basis for her enquiry.

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World Happiness Report, 2021, oil on linen, 153 x 153cm
World Happiness Report, 2021, oil on linen, 153 x 153cm | Helen Smith

Helen Smith was born in 1963 in Cooma, New South Wales. She graduated from Curtin University of Technology, with a Bachelor of Arts in 2000 and was awarded a Master of Fine Art through the Sydney College of the Arts in 2023. She has been an active member of the Australian Centre for Concrete Art (AC4CA) since 2002.

Helen Smith’s practice is influenced by a formal, reductionist viewpoint with simplicity of form and geometric abstraction generally contributing to the outcome. Oil on canvas paintings, large-scale wall works and photographic series derived from an interest in cultural systems form the basis for her enquiry.

Recent exhibitions featuring her work include the Sulman Prize (2025) at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, State of Abstraction (2023) at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, New Contemporaries (2025) at Sydney College of the Arts and the WA Focus (2015) solo survey at the Art Gallery of WA. She has participated in research residencies in Auckland (Fauvette Loureiro Travel Scholarship), New York (Point B) and Berlin (Institut für Alles Mögliche).

Her works are represented in numerous collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, Artbank, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Art Gallery of South Australia, Curtin University of Technology, University of WA, Murdoch University, Bankwest, Royal Perth Hospital, St John of God Health Care, Australian Embassy Madrid, Louis Vuitton Collection, PS Netherlands, Hebel_121 Collection and Daimler Collection Berlin.

Helen Smith, Blue Highway 36, 2023, oil on linen, 152 x 213cm
Helen Smith, A Curved Space, 2023,oil on linen assemblage, 41 x 126 x 5.5cm (3 panels)
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 44, 2020, oil on canvas, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, World Happiness Report, 2021, oil on linen, 153 x 153cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway, Unique State (Y), 2018, silkscreen print on Fabriano paper, 36 x 47cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway, Unique State (Be), 2018, silkscreen print on Fabriano paper, 36 x 47cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway #31, 2018, silkscreen print on 300gsm Fabriano paper, 37 x 47cm, Ed. 12. Printed by Sally Gimson, Artizan Editions, UK
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 28, 2016, oil on canvas, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, Yellow and Dark Violet Assemblage, 2018, oil on canvas and linen, 90 x 60 x 6cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 32, 2016, oil on canvas, 150 x 150cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 37, 2018, oil on canvas, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 27, 2016, oil on canvas, 152 x 213cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 15, 2014, oil and gesso on canvas, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 49, 2021, oil on linen, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, Blue Highway 34, 2017, oil on canvas, 137 x 213cm
Helen Smith, RGB, 2021, oil and oil stick on fine Italian cotton, 46 x 46cm
Helen Smith, Arc Drawing #3 (detail), 2025, oil on canvas, 100 x 120cm

Exhibition

Helen Smith // Arc Drawings

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