Josi Smit (b. 1993) is a multidisciplinary artist who works in sculpture, installation, photography, and text. Josi’s work considers how nostalgia and desire orient us, the intimacies we form with objects and spaces, and how subversion can emerge from tenderness and fantasy.

Josi is currently based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, QC.



CV

Education
  • 2014-2018    BFA with Distinction, Sculpture/Installation + Creative Writing minor, OCAD University, Toronto
  • 2011-2013     Film Production, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto

Solo & Two-Person Exhibitions 
  • 2023    We Should Be Dancing, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
  • 2018    We always bought cherry soda on the walk home, curated by Shell Projects, *QueenSpecific, Toronto
  • 2018    A View to a Room, with Sarah Munro, curated by Juliana Zalucky, Zalucky Contemporary, Toronto

Group Exhibitions 
  • 2023    Plumbraiser 4.0, the plumb, Toronto
  • 2023    Feedback Loop, curated by Rowan Lynch, MKG127, Toronto
  • 2021    The Way You Look Tonight (as Special Programming,) curated by Philip Ocampo, Xpace Cultural Centre, Toronto
  • 2020    Crawling out of a hidden place, curated by Anaïs Castro & David Liss, Arsenal Contemporary, Toronto
  • 2019    The Walls, curated by TheTheThe (Briar Gill & J. Thomas Kim,) 181 Brunswick Ave, Toronto
  • 2019    The Rooms, curated by TheTheThe (Briar Gill & J. Thomas Kim,) 181 Brunswick Ave, Toronto
  • 2019    The Bald Eagle’s Claw, Curated by Philip Ocampo, Xpace Cultural Centre, Toronto
  • 2019    Annual Fundraiser Exhibition & Sale, Xpace Cultural Centre, Toronto
  • 2019    The tile was still the same, Curated by Natalie Castrogiovanni, 12 Ossington Ave, Toronto
  • 2019    λ (wavelength), Curated by Charisse Fung, Ada Slaight Gallery, Toronto
  • 2018    16th BMO 1st Art Exhibition, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Toronto
  • 2018    Rooms, curated by Bill Clarke, Angell Gallery, Toronto
  • 2018    Entangled: Roundtable Residency Exhibition, Dragon Academy, Toronto
  • 2018    Fresh Paint/New Construction, curated by Michael Patten and Suzanne Viot, Art Mûr, Montreal

Grants, Awards, and Scholarships
  • 2023    Concept to Realization Grant - New/Early Career Artist, Canada Council for the Arts
  • 2023    Visual Artists Creation Project Grant - Emerging Artist, Ontario Arts Council
  • 2020    Research and Creation Grant - New/Early Career Artist,  Canada Council for the Arts
  • 2019    Ossington Public Exhibition Career Launcher, OCAD U Centre for Emerging Artists and Designers
  • 2018    BMO 1st Art - Ontario Regional Award, Bank of Montreal
  • 2018    Sculpture/Installation Program Medal, OCAD University
  • 2018    Haydn Davies Memorial Award, OCAD University
  • 2018    Nora E. Vaughan Award, OCAD University
  • 2016    The Women’s Art Association of Canada - Mary Ella Dignam Scholarship, OCAD University
  • 2013    Universal Studios Canada Scholarship in Filmmaking, Toronto Metropolitan University
  • 2012    Universal Studios Canada Scholarship in Filmmaking, Toronto Metropolitan University

Residencies
  • 2018    Roundtable Residency, Dragon Academy, Toronto

Writing
  • 2020    “Shedding — Eduardo Basualdo,” Exhibition Text, Scrap Metal Gallery, Toronto
  • 2019    “Living Throbbing Miscellanies (Loosely Framed,)” FrameWork: Katie Bethune-Leamen, Susan Hobbs Gallery, Toronto
  • 2019    “Michelle Bellemare, Julia Dault, and Ragnar Kjartansson,” Muscled Rose Exhibition Text, Scrap Metal Gallery, Toronto 
  • 2019    “We should be dancing,” The Bald Eagle’s Claw Exhibition Publication, Xpace Cultural Centre, Toronto
  • 2018    “The Quiet Resistance of Embedded Work”, OCAD U Journal of Visual Critical Studies, Toronto
  • 2016    “Jettisons,” Modern Laundry, Toronto

Artist Talks and Readings
  • 2023    We Should Be Dancing Radio, Forest City Gallery, London, ON
  • 2017    Guest Reader, Writing in Dangerous Times Symposium, OCAD University, Toronto
  • 2017    Artist Talk, The Women’s Art Association of Canada, Toronto
  • 2016    Featured Reader, A-L-L-I-T-E-R-A-T-I-V-E : Student Readings, OCAD University, Toronto
  • 2016    Guest Reader, FoLASS Reading Series, OCAD University, Toronto

Fairs
  • 2018    Art Toronto, with OCAD University, Toronto

Press

© Josi Smit 2025