Cian Oba-Smith (born 1992)[1] is an fine-art / documentary photographer from London.
[4] Oba-Smith has made various projects throughout his career including A Quiet Prayer,[5] a record of London in the first lockdown during the covid pandemic, Shanzhai,[6] an exploration of the phenomena of copycat architecture in China, Concrete Horsemen,[7] highlighting the forgotten contributions of African American horsemen in North Philadelphia, Andover & Six Acres,[8] an interrogation of the negative stereotypes placed upon the estates in North London and Bikelife, [9] a documentation of urban dirt-bike and wheelie culture in London.
In 2019 his book Andover & Six Acres was published by Lost Light Recordings.
[10] In 2019 he completed an artist residency at Light Work in Syracuse, NY where he created a project on redlining and the links between historical segregation policy and contemporary communities.
[3][11] Alongside his artistic practice, Oba-Smith works on commissions for various publications such as FT Weekend,[12] The Face,[13] M Magazine Le Monde,[14] The Guardian,[15] The Telegraph,[16] Crack Magazine,[17] Vice[18] and others.