Adam James Smith

Biography

I am an artist, educator and PhD researcher at University of the Arts London. Having lived and worked in Japan for over a decade, my practice is shaped by sustained engagement with both UK and Japanese educational contexts. My research examines the growing standardisation of post-compulsory art education in these settings, where measurable outcomes and institutional frameworks increasingly shape how art is taught and assessed. I investigate how the messy, experimental and unpredictable nature of artistic practice can challenge these structures and open space for more flexible and creative approaches to learning. Central to this work is MIEZARUTE Art School, an alternative, artist-led platform I co-founded with Japanese artist Lucky Yamada in 2020, through which I develop transnational projects in drawing, teaching and collaborative practice. My research positions artistic practice as a critical and generative force within contemporary education systems.

PhD Title: Deconstructing and Reformulating Educational Standardisations Through Artist-Teacher Praxis
Director of Studies: Dr Mark Ingham
Supervisors: Dr Alexandra Antonopoulou, Dr Jonathan Martin