Smith has worked across Australia and India since 2011. At the core of her practice is an interest in collaboration and knowledge exchange in which ‘learning’ is the medium, the artwork and the education. She is fascinated by the ‘educational-turn’ in contemporary art-making and the radical changes and pedagogical shifts impacting share and shape knowledge exchange. Smith combines her educator practice with her art practice in order to consider dialogue, exchange and collaboration as critical points through which the ‘artwork’ is built. It is a relational, process-based working method that challenges the established hierarchies between art and education.
For Cementa 2022 she will collaborate with Bonnie Cowan (Theatre Maker), Ankit Mishra (Video Artist), Kandos Public School and Rachelle Connellan (Educator) in the creation of FUTURE SCHOOL.
Lleah Smith is a pedagogical practitioner. She engages in making, writing and research through her independent practice and her position as Curator, Programs and Learning at the Biennale of Sydney. Smith works with audiences of all ages to develop critically engaged and socially conscious projects. Formative learning experiences, which have significantly shaped Smith’s pedagogical approach include, FUTURE SCHOOL (2022) and Youth4CareParty (2020), alongside anti-symposium (2022) and Water Lessons (2021) for the Biennale of Sydney.