Between real and surreal
Between real and surreal
January 21, 2026
© Rodney Smith, Skyline, Hudson River, New York, 1995
In his pictures, Leica photographer Rodney Smith (born 1947) managed to create an equilibrium between illusions and reality: ladies in couture clothes balancing on ropes, elegant gentlemen sit with cardboard boxes over their heads, optical illusions fill his multi-faceted œuvre.
Two major, international exhibitions currently offer a retrospective of his work: one at the Palazzo Roverella in Italy, starting on October 4, 2026, and another at the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City as of October 29, 2026. In addition, Smith’s works will be shown in the Xposure exhibition in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, from January to February 2026, and at the Kunsthalle Vogelmann in Heilbronn, Germany, from September 2026 to January 2027.
A photo book titled Rodney Smith: Photography Between Real and Surreal (Silvana Editoriale), published by Anne Morin and distributed by DAP/Artbook, complements all this. It is available in English and Italian versions. The book focusses on Smith’s work in Italy, explores his architectural motifs, and highlights their cinematic qualities, reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra and Wes Anderson. Smith passed away in 2016.
Eliza TrappTwo major, international exhibitions currently offer a retrospective of his work: one at the Palazzo Roverella in Italy, starting on October 4, 2026, and another at the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City as of October 29, 2026. In addition, Smith’s works will be shown in the Xposure exhibition in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, from January to February 2026, and at the Kunsthalle Vogelmann in Heilbronn, Germany, from September 2026 to January 2027.
A photo book titled Rodney Smith: Photography Between Real and Surreal (Silvana Editoriale), published by Anne Morin and distributed by DAP/Artbook, complements all this. It is available in English and Italian versions. The book focusses on Smith’s work in Italy, explores his architectural motifs, and highlights their cinematic qualities, reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra and Wes Anderson. Smith passed away in 2016.
EQUIPMENT: Leica M4, Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 Asph
© Rodney Smith, Skyline, Hudson River, New York, 1995