Ky Smiley (b. 2002, Columbus, Ohio) is a Black trans-masculine artist, art mentor, and arts administrator based in Columbus. His work speaks to his lived experience as a queer individual navigating his evolving relationships to masculinity, Blackness, and queerness, often through collaborative projects with his family members. Grounded in a deeply personal and reflective practice, Smiley uses analog photography and storytelling to create intimate portrayals of nostalgia, family, and the sacred spaces that Black people inhabit or imagine. 

Smiley’s work has been featured in PhotoVogue, The English Journal, and The National Afro-American Museum, as well as in numerous national and international exhibitions and galleries. He is currently receiving his BFA in Photography and Minors in Black Studies and Art History at The Ohio State University.