Stafford Smith

Stafford Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Visual & Media Arts at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). He holds an M.F.A. from Cornell University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University. His work critically explores photography’s role in representing identity, memory, and digital culture. Key projects include Ancestry in Progress (exploring bi-racial heritage), the P.O.V. installation critiquing the male gaze, and Me So Calgon (a viral critique of anti-Asian stereotypes). He has exhibited widely, including at ArtPrize and international venues like FestFoto in Brazil. Awards include the 2024 ArtPrize New Media Prize and the 2013 Director’s Choice Award. Smith teaches courses ranging from digital photography to art history and is a sought-after speaker on photography’s evolving role in the digital age.

Education: M.F.A., Photography, Cornell University (2004); B.A., Printmaking, Wesleyan University (1987).

Research focuses on post-photographic practices, digital media’s impact on identity, and critical theory. Recent works investigate social media’s role in self-representation and historical reclamation. His art often combines traditional photographic techniques with digital innovation, as seen in his alcohol-transfer collages and multi-frame urban studies.