Joanne Dorothea-Smith

Joanne Dorothea-Smith, a British conceptual artist and academic, investigates the complexities of vision, perception, and representation through her interdisciplinary research and creative practice. Her work is deeply influenced by her experiences with autism and synaesthesia, and manifests in a fusion of photography, sound, moving images, writing, and printmaking, challenging traditional understandings of space and time.

Currently pursuing a PhD in Vision, Representation and Photography at the University of Plymouth, Joanne’s research critically analyses the authority of the camera in visual representation, proposing an alternative framework rooted in molecular and neurodivergent accounts of vision. Her approach incorporates a diffractive analysis, drawing from concepts in physics, historical narratives, and new-materialist theories, providing a unique perspective on the relationship between the eye and the camera apparatus.

Joanne’s artistic practice has been exhibited in the UK and internationally, where she reflects on themes of society, politics, and the environment through historical and scientific inquiry. Her notable exhibitions feature large-scale photographic installations and multimedia performances that engage with embodied practices and lived experiences. Joanne has been a Contemporary Fine Art Lecturer at Arts University Plymouth and an Associate Lecturer at the University of Plymouth. Furthermore, as a Research Convener for the Autism in Higher Education (HE) project “Constellations,” she worked collaboratively with themes aimed at integrating autistic perception into academic research, with a focus on fostering inclusivity and accessibility within higher education.