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Bob and Roberta Smith

Play Videos See what happened when Young Tate met Bob & Roberta Smith

The artist Bob and Roberta Smith, is in fact just one person, otherwise known as British artist Patrick Brill. Many of his paintings look like signboards, featuring slogans in brightly coloured lettering.

'Make Your Own Damn Art'

Smith was born in London in 1963 and works in a variety of media, including installations, painting and sculpture. A subversive sense of humour can often be found in his work, which frequently uses everyday and reclaimed materials to challenge society's assumptions and values.

Smith often uses language in interesting ways, his works feature statements that play on life, politics and art. Many have a kind of absurdity and humour that leaves you wondering just what the message really is.

Make Art Not War refers to a statement made by Smith's dad shortly before he died and plays with the idea that statements may influence people's decisions and actions, perhaps persuade people to do something positive and creative...

These works also show Smith's interest in signs, fonts, graphics and slogans. Talking about Make Art Not War in Tate Shots Smith says;

'I like the idea that the font is an Edwardian kind of font dating from 1910 or 1920 but the colours are very modern, they are sort of orange and turquoise and green and so they are kind of at odds with the history of the font really. And I quite like the arbitrary juxtaposition of two unrelated sorts of things really.'

Tate Shots: Smith talk about these works in Tate Shots Issue 13
Bob and Roberta Smith Make Art Not War 1997, © Bob & Roberta Smith
Make Art Not War 1997
Paint on plywood board, support: 1537 x 1524 x 48 mm, painting
© Bob & Roberta Smith
Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Mail Art Project Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio, Photography by Richard Eaton

Young Tate and Bob & Roberta Smith in his Studio.
Photography by Richard Eaton.

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Bob & Roberta Smith Work in the Tate Collection