Helmut Smits is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Straightforward, critical and witty, Smits is a ceaseless producer of ideas that comment on society and situations in a frank and often humorous way.

Contact
Helmut Smits
mail@helmutsmits.nl
+31 6 145 06 889

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Selected Exhibitions
2021  19 Chairs, Protein Studios, UK
2021  IABR Down to earth: Waterschool M4H+
2021  Bien Urbain Festival 10, Besançon, FR
2021  Het Museum Voor Niet-Essentiële Kunst, We Are Public, Droog Gallery
2021  Tegenbeeld, Kunstenlab Deventer
2021  Salon, online exhibition curated for Mister Motley
2020  19 Chairs, Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, UK
2020  Alpha-png tumblr by Luke Harby
2020  Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend
2020  Reservoir, 019 Ghent, BE
2020  Publieke Werken at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen drive-thru exhibition
2020  Descart, Rotterdam
2020  De Nacht, de Warande, BE
2020  Inside out - for you, Foundation Bad Rotterdam
2020  Studio away from Studio, Brooklyn, NY
2020  Solo-Solo, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, DE
2020  We=Link: Ten Easy Pieces, Chronus Art Center, CN
2019  Something In-Between, centraal station Breda
2019  3 x 3 at V2_Lab for unstable media, Rotterdam
2019  Flop Art, KK Outlet at Vans store London, UK
2019  Screen Time, Testsite Meent
2019  DNA IKEA, de Cacaofabriek
2019  Art The Hague, Bcademie
2019  The Shareholders' Meeting 4, with Maarten Bel
2019  Use Me, Abuse Me, KK Outlet at Vans store London, UK
2019  Dutch Art with text & Humor? No Thanks!, AG Space for new art and media, Utrecht
2019  ReReply, Editorial Concreta, Valencia, ES
2019  Rulers, Coco Hunday, Tampa Florida, US
2019  WaterSchool, Studio Makkink & Bey, Z33 Hasselt, BE
2019  WaterSchool, Studio Makkink & Bey, Atelier LUMA, Arles, FR
2019  Torrance Art Museum, CO/LAB 4, LA, US
2018  Family, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2018  Uncertainty Principle, Desfours Palace, Prague, CZ
2018  the 4th Istanbul Design Biennial with Studio Makkink & Bey, Istanbul, TR
2018  Connected - East Meets West, TOP Gallery, Berlin, DE
2018  IKEA Hacked, Our Products, Your Ideas, IKEA Museum, Almhult, SE
2018  Bien Urbain Festival, Besancon, FR
2018  Artist Flags for 'De Mastplanters', 019 Ghent, BE
2018  Enter the Past and See the Future, Hotel Droog
2018  Ticket to de Toekomst, Villa Zebra
2018  When Attitudes Becomes Form, Rome, IT
2018  Stream Capture, MCAD, Minneapolis, US
2018  All Our Friends, KK Outlet, UK
2017  The Embasy of Food, DDW 2017
2017  Change the System, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen
2017  Stickey Business, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2017  Brno Art Open 2017, CZ
2017  Zero Footprint Campus, Utrecht Science Park
2017  You Say You Know You Will You Do, Fresh Window Gallery, NY
2017  Fabulous Failures, Museum Le Botanique, BE
2017  Frame's KitchenLab, IMM, Cologne DE
2016  Dream out Loud, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
2016  Fabulous Failures, Les Recontres d'Arles, FR
2016  Measuring: This much, That much, How much?", Songshan Cult. Park, Taipei, TW
2016  Domestic Affairs, Doha, QA
2016  Domestic Affairs, Shenzhen, CN
2015  Romantik, August, Cologne, DE
2015  Cuckoo festival, Ostrava, CZ
2015  TodaysArt Festival, The Hague
2015  Volta 11, Fresh Window, Basel, CH
2015  Happy Birthday, The Israel Museum, IL
2015  Measuring: This much, That much, How much?", 21_21 Design Sight, JP
2015  Domestic Affairs, Passagen Cologne, DE
2014  Sense Nonsense, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
2014  The Value of Nothing, TENT, Rotterdam
2014  Eternal September, Institute for Contemporary Art Ljubljana, SI
2014  Game Changer, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, CO, US
2014  Construct – de – construct, Droog Gallery, Amsterdam
2014  Designing Scarcity, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam
2014  First Eleven, KK Outlet, London, UK
2014  Outrun, Fresh Window, Brooklyn, NY
2013  Design in Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
2013  Small Gestures, MU, Eindhoven
2013  Petites résistances, Weltkunstzimmer, Düsseldorf, DE
2013  Welcome to the Real, Temp, New York, US
2013  Money's Worth, Gallery Sofie Lachaert, BE
2013  Some Things, Beginnings Gallery, New York, US
2012  Identity Land - DroogLab, Z33, BE
2012  Swedish for Argument, UTS Gallery Sydney, AU
2012  Skirting Board Sunset for The Sculpture House, London Design Festival, UK
2012  Photogenus, University of Cincinnati, US
2012  An Exhibition of Texts, Sometimes, Cape Town, ZA
2012  Objects in Mirror, Fotodok, Utrecht
2011  Arbeit Nervt, Künstlerhaus Dortmund, DE
2011  Changes, Auf AEG, Nürnberg, DE
2011  Our Complex, Generator Projects, Dundee, Scotland
2011  Analogue, The Luminary centre for the Arts, St. Louis, US
2011  Changes, Halle 14, Leipzig, DE
2011  Time Space Casuality, Bari, IT
2010  Voicemail project orchestrated by Davide Balula, Palais de Tokyo, FR
2010  Saint-Etienne International Design Biennial 2010, FR
2006  €10.000 Show, W139, Amsterdam

Commissions
2021  Sketch design for a commemorative coin ‘40 Jaar NOS Jeugdjournaal’, Dutch Ministry of Finance
2020  Four images for Raum für Raum, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, DE
2020  Screen print ‘The center of this print marked by the end of this sentence’ with Juste Ici, FR
2020  Sketch design for the City of Lommel, BE
2018  Chalk House for Bien Urbain Festival, Besançon, FR
2018  Sketch design for a commemorative coin ' 100 Years Wageningen University', Dutch Ministry of Finance
2017  Videoclip The Show for Janne Schra
2016  Campaign BGLF, Sue Amsterdam
2016  Onderstroom for CBK Rotterdam
2015  Outdoor wall drawing for Cuckoo festival, Ostrava, CZ
2015  the helmut smits button for MU Play&Learn
2014  Christmas tree for Neon Magazine, DE
2013  Permanent outdoor sculpture for Villa Flora Park, Gersau, CH
2013  Sketch design for a 2 euro coin, Dutch Ministry of Finance
2012  DroogLab - Identity Land
2011  Permanent outdoor sculpture for the Wooldrikpark, City of  Enschede
2010  Sketch design for ASV Arsenal / SKOR
2010  Sketch design for the City of Veldhoven
2009  Sketch design for CBKG
2009  Sketch design for a commemorative coin, Dutch Ministry of Finance
2008  Sketch design for Bureau Beyond / Leidsche Rijn Park
2008  Sketch and DO design CBKR / Doorbraak
2008  Sketch design for the City of Assen
2008  Sketch design for Stanislas College / Kunst en Bedrijf
2007  Sketch design for the City of Zoetermeer
2007  Sketch design for the City of Rijswijk
2006  Sketch design for Q4 / City of Venlo
2006  Sketch design for Avans Universit

Teaching / Workshops / Lectures
2021  Guestteacher at Friday @ St. Joost
2021  Winterlab ArtEZ 2021
2020  External examiner, Fontys ArtCoDe, Tilburg
2020  Studio visit, design students professor Sven Völker, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam
2020  External examiner, Fontys ArtCoDe, Tilburg
2019  Ode to the Forgotten Ideas, Sexyland Amsterdam
2019  Coaching Clash XXL Festival
2019  Lecture ‘Artistic Research', ’s-Hertogenbosch Academy for Visual Arts
2019  Workshop Winterlab, ArtEZ Zwolle 
2018  Workshop Straight Circles and Picture Yourself, Onomatopee DDW18
2018  Lecture, Bcademy
2017  Lecture, WDKA Hacking
2017  Workshop Wall Street Eindhoven
2016  Lecture 20x20, Showroom Arnhem
2015  New Saints Talk, SintLucas DDW
2015  Lecture at Plato, Ostrava, CZ
2015  Workshop 1 Meter Party for 21_21 Design Sight, JP
2015  Lecture together with Bas van Beek at Studium Generale HKU
2015  Workshops at IMM Cologne for HNI icw. Bas van Beek
2014  Lecture ArtEZ, 2nd year graphic design
2014  Lecture WDKA, 1st year product design
2014  One week workshop, Academy of Visual Arts Halle, DE
2014  Lecture and workshop Koning Willem I College
2012  Lecture Meet the Makers, KOP Foundation, Breda
2012  Lecture Professional Practice, ’s-Hertogenbosch Academy for Visual Arts
2011  Lecture, Halle 14, Leipzig, DE
2011  One week workshop, Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig, DE
2011  Ignite Amsterdam 6, Mediamatic, Amsterdam
2010  Museum De Pont / BKKC artist interview, moderator Alex de Vries
2008  Winterworkshop, Academy of Architecture, Amsterdam
2007  Guest workshop at Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam
2007  External examiner, Fine Art WDKA, Rotterdam
2006  Workshop Living, Design Academy, Eindhoven

Grants / Awards
2020  Stipendium for Emerging Artists, The Mondriaan Fund
2019  Design Grant Program, Creative Industries Fund NL
2016  Stipendium for Emerging Artists, The Mondriaan Fund
2014  O&O stipend, CBK Rotterdam
2011  Basic Stipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam
2009  Absolut Talent Award 2009
2009  Longlist Prix de Rome 2009
2007  Basic Stipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam
2007  Finalist EgoArt Prize 2006, Slovakia
2005  Starter stipend, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam

Publications
2021  Focus Magazine, A Product’s Self Portrait
2020  De Standaard, Ooggetuige, Selfie van een pizza
2020  A Product’s Self Portrait, by Alif Ibrahim for It’s Nice That
2020  A Product’s Self Portrait, by Nat Twiss for Type 7
2020  Volkskrant Magazine, Between Us
2020  Neue Heimat, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin
2020  Metropolis M, On Hold #8 door Laura van den Bergh
2020  Between Us, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin
2020  Ocula Magazine, CAC Shanghai, by Sam Gaskin
2020  Shelf Carrier Shelf, Kosmos, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin
2019  Ordinary magazine no.9, Max Siedentopf and Yuki Kappes
2019  Volkskrant Magazine, The Design Issue, by Max Siedentopf
2018  Vertigo, TexWorld Paris
2018  Department of Search, ISBN 9789082672541
2018  Now Make This, curated by Thomas Bärnthaler, Phaidon
2018  Woth No.8
2017  Beyond the New on the Agency of Things, Louise Schouwenberg and Hella Jongerius, Koenig Books ISBN 978-3-96098-254-8
2017  Dichtung und Wahrheit, catalogue Brno Art Open 2017
2017  From meme to mainstream: internet art, aesthetics and offline luxury in a post-digital world by Nadine Roestenburg
2017  Change Makers, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, ISBN 978-90-6918-301-5 (engelse versie ISBN 978-90-6918-302-2)
2017  The Beauty of Impermanence, T Magazine, The New York Times
2017  Shedding Light, Corraini Edizioni, by Beppe Finessi
2017  Of Note Magazine, The Water Issue, by Marco Margaritoff
2017  Ordinary magazine no.5, Max Siedentopf and Yuki Kappes
2017  IMA Magazine, Vol.19, Japan
2017  Frame Magazine no.115
2017  Remix Studies by Pau Figueres
2016  Het Parool PS, 1 Meter Festival, by Daan Borrel
2016  De Volkskrant, Dream out Loud, by Jeroen Junte
2016  TL magazine no. 26
2016  The Real Thing, HelanOnline and Wechat by Jiaying Li
2016  The New Aesthetic and Art: Constellations of the Postdigital, ISBN: 978-94-92302-08-3
2016  Failed It!, Erik Kessels for Phaidon, ISBN: 9780714871196
2016  Ordinary magazine no.3 & no.4, Max Siedentopf and Yuki Kappes
2016  Aesthetics of joy, The joyful wax sculptures of Helmut Smits by Ingrid Fetell Lee
2016  Sight Unseen, The Beautifully Bizarre Franken-Candles of Dutch Artist Helmut Smits
2015  Milk Magazine no.28, Japan
2015  DASH Magazine no.11, by Louise Schouwenberg
2014  Neon Magazine, december 2014
2014  Wired Design by Margaret Rhodes
2014  The Australian by Chris Griffith
2014  Dezeen Magazine by Anna Winston
2014  The Verge by Adi Robertson
2014  PSFK by Adriana Krasniansky
2014  Wallstreetdaily by Nikia Wade
2014  Pocko by Robert Simons
2014  The Meander Journal, by Julian Hutton
2014  Kunstbeeld no. 4 & 5 2014
2014  Damn Magazine no.43, by Veerle Devos
2013  Inventario no.8
2013  ideas and thoughts by helmut smits, publisher Onomatopee, ISBN: 978-94-91677-10-6
2013  Some Book, ISBN: 978-3-03778-412-9
2013  Damn Magazine no.40
2013  Neon Magazine 07 & 08/13
2013  Arts Holland Magazine
2013  Monobrow #1, Brooklyn, NY
2012  Een idee aub, Erik Kessels, ISBN: 978-90-470-0591-9
2012  The Outlook Magazine issue 123, China, ISSN: 1671-0649
2012  Objects in Mirror-The Imagination of the American Landscape, ISBN: 978-94-90119-15-7
2012  De:Bug magazine 158
2012  It's Nice That, by Maya Davies
2011  Take it or Leave it, Van Abbemuseum / Onomatopee
2011  Love Earth, Victionary, Japan ISBN: 978-988-17327-5-0
2011  Open Design Now, Creative Commons Netherlands / Premsela / Waag Society
2011  Art & Agenda - Political Art and Activism, Gestalten
2011  Some Magazine, issue 1, by Juliane Hohlbaum / Falko Walter
2011  Lodown Magazine, issue 75, by Renko Heuer / Manuel Bürger
2011  Adbusters #94 mar/apr 2011
2011  Quotation Magazine no.10, Japan
2010  Spoonfork online magazine oct. 2010, by Katja Neumann
2010  Urban furniture for a new city life, by ICI Interface Editions, author Sophie Barbaux
2010  Spot Magazine Mexico, aug. issue
2010  Shopper Magazine no.17, China
2010  ADI Design Award Graphic Design Annual Vol. 2, China
2010  How Architecture Learned to Speculate, ISBN: 978-3-00-029876-9
2009  Financial Newspaper, magazine
2009  Blend, issue 40/41/42/43/44/45/46
2009  Blend, Creative special
2009  Bright magazine, by Anneloes van Gaalen
2009  Tangible - High Touch Visuals, Gestalten
2009  Front Magazine, Vancouver, BC
2008  Saving by Design, Korea Design Foundation
2008  NRC Handelsblad, Hacking IKEA, by Sandra Smets
2008  ‘123 ideas by helmut smits’, publisher Onomatopee, ISBN: 978-90-78454-15-1
2008  ‘On Guerrilla Gardening’, by Richard Reynolds
2008  Art das kunstmagazin, by Felicitas Rhan
2008  Simply Material, Victionary, Japan
2007  Holland Herald, by def. Amsterdam
2007  Mass Appeal Magazine NY, by Jay Riggio
2007  Chief Magazine NY, by Andrew Smith
2007  Material Matters, Victionary, Japan
2007  FHM China, by Lai Xuanwei
2006  ‘One hundred and one things to do’, KesselsKramer
2006  Frame Magazine, interview by Alexandra Onderwater
2006  Bon magazine, by Erik Kessels
2006  Destructed no.10, PDF magazine, Germany
2006  Code magazine no.2, Belgium
2006  NRC Handelsblad / NRC next mrt., interview by Dirk Limburg

With the kind support of the Mondriaan Fund