The Muse at 269, Portobello Road, celebrates the sound and art of Martin A. Smith, composer, artist and curator, with a solo exhibition of his work. Where The Roses Grow opens from 17th – 26th July, 2025. A Private View will take place on Thursday, 17th July from 6 pm – 9 pm. A celebration event will take place on Saturday 26th July from 6 pm – 9 pm.
Over the last four decades, Smith’s expansive body of work has profoundly influenced London’s sonic art scene. His signature sound of rich ambience is well known within the music industry and by sound artists alike. Observing a need for a platform for the emergent group of sound artists, Smith commenced the series Sound Art at the Muse in 2005, one of the few galleries that continues to exhibit work by sonic artists in London today.
Where The Roses Grow focuses on Smith, as an artist, rather than his role as a collaborator and curator who modestly creates space for synergetic teamwork. The exhibition showcases selected works which highlight Smith’s skilful compositions, poetic soundscapes, video art and the pure generosity of his collaborative nature.
Smith’s art is concerned with the spirit of place and the creation and reflection of atmosphere, and he states, ‘I create immersive, multi-layered pieces that reinterpret or enhance our emotional response to the nature of place, memory and environment.’
Throughout his career, Martin A. Smith’s benevolent collaborations are prolific: from musical scores for film and video art to immersive soundtracks for art installations, his work has been exhibited in London galleries GV Art, October Gallery and The Muse at 269, in theatres and on television. He has worked with numerous artists; including Eleonore Pironneau, Alex May and Ramuntcho Matta; musicians, such as Goldfrapp; film makers, composers, fashion designer Elizabeth Emanuel, poets and music producers, the latter often drawing upon Smith’s vast knowledge of atmospheric sound to create unique resonance within their own work.
Where The Roses Grow explores Martin A. Smith’s rich soundscapes and visual world, with works which conjure mood and emotion.
About Martin A. Smith (born 5th May,1962), Lives and works in the UK and France.
Martin A. Smith is a British sound artist, composer and film maker. While studying at art school, in Amersham, he rapidly developed a passion for composition and music making. In 1983, Smith started to work with Tim Hooper as the duo, The Thin Veil, an electronic musical project. This commenced a lifelong collaboration, succeeded by Dildano, (1996 – 2002) and Map 165, (2008 – present). The 1980s exploded a wave of electronic synthesised sound in which Smith became heavily immersed. From the 1990’s to present, he has experimented with samples from language tapes, synth string orchestra arrangements, radio broadcasts and vocals creating a signature ambient sound.
In 2003, Smith collaborated with Lost Property Art, for the multi-disciplinary exhibition Mutiny at The Bargehouse, on London’s South Bank, involving 100 artists, as well as 60 dancers and musicians, the latter whom Smith co-coordinated. He pioneered and curated the series, Sound Art at the Muse, London in 2005 to present. In 2008, in partnership with artist Alex May, he created Kaidan, a mesmerising audio/video installation at Holland Park, London, under the moniker Quadratura. The duo worked on several projects. In 2012, Smith’s work Sound Portrait Of Alan Turing, was exhibited at Intuition and Ingenuity, Sheffield, later presented at the V&A Digital Design Weekend, London, at Bletchley Park and was included in The British Science Festival, Aberdeen. Other notable exhibitions include NOISE and Whispers at GV Art in 2013, in which he co-curated a fusion of sound, art and science, bringing together the work of over 30 international contemporary artists; Change of Signature, 2013, TESTBED 1, London, an exhibition of sound art and visual art which toured to sometimeStudio, Paris, 2014; he created a sound design piece for William S. Burroughs: Can you all hear me?, at October Gallery, London, 2014, which was played alongside works by Brion Gysin, Liliane Lijn, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Shezad Dawood and Cerith Wyn Evans.