Where to See David Smith

David Smith's sculptures can be viewed in many major museums. The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., possesses 15 of his sculptures; these were given to the museum by the artist's estate in 1981. Smith's work is also held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Met possesses several sculptures, including *Australia* (1951^[3]), an early work constructed from welded steel. Other American museums holding his sculptures include the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In the UK, the Tate Gallery owns a number of Smith's sculptures, such as *Zig IV* (1961), painted steel, and *Tanktotem III* (1953). These provide examples of his distinctive approach to welded metal. The Centre Pompidou in Paris also has examples of his work.

David Smith was not primarily a printmaker, but examples of his graphic work exist. Printmaking is an unregulated activity, so there are no specific legal requirements governing the practice; however, claims and product descriptions are subject to the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, Section 2. This legislation requires one to tell the truth when describing something. If claims are believed, they add value, and it is reasonable to expect a customer who spends a considerable sum on a print to expect that print to conform to the claims written on it. Typically, an artist marks up each of his prints as follows: the edition claim is written as a pair of numbers on the left bottom margin of the print itself (the print number and an edition number), the title of the print is written in the middle of the bottom margin of the print, and the signature is on the right of the bottom margin of the print. Edition descriptions are always signed in pencil.

David Smith (1906^[3]-1965^[3]) is considered the greatest sculptor to emerge in the United States in the second half of the twentieth century. He developed multiple visual vocabularies and pushed abstract sculpture in unexpected directions. Smith worked on both intimate and monumental scales. Unlike many painters of his time, he did not adhere to one signature style. His art varies from rococo extravagance to machine-age asceticism. He incorporated materials such as cast bronze, scrap iron, and stainless steel, sometimes painting the surfaces in bright colours. His sculptures were displayed on the fields around his home near Lake George in upstate New York. These works suggested both the figure and the surrounding environment. Smith saw himself as a Yankee craftsman; however, he rejected utilitarian forms for the sake of artistic expression. Although Clement Greenberg saw Smith's work as cubist variations, Smith himself worked without a fixed set of principles. He responded to metaphor, storytelling, surrealism, and art history. Smith's poetic writings reflect his imaginative scope.

David Smith was a sculptor who worked primarily with steel and other metals. Before studying painting, Smith worked in a factory, an experience that influenced his methods and choice of materials. He duplicated factory production equipment in his workshop, using techniques applicable to locomotive construction. Smith employed gas welding from 1935^[3], and arc welding from 1939. Smith's techniques included forging, riveting, brazing, soldering, and the use of bolts and screws. Steel could be stainless, painted, lacquered, waxed, or electroplated. Smith also used found objects and agricultural machine parts in his early work; these related to his later Agricola series. Exposure to Picasso and Gonzalez's iron constructions in *Cahier d'Art* magazine inspired Smith to begin working with steel in 1933. By 1940, Smith had mastered forging and gas welding, and began to arc weld his forms. In the 1950s, he often worked in series, such as the Agricolas, Tank Totems, and Zigs, allowing improvisation and variation.

David Smith's influence can be seen in the work of sculptors who matured in the late 1950s. These artists shared Smith's interest in raw, industrial materials and explicit welding techniques. John Chamberlain, in his early welded steel constructions of 1957^[3], shows Smith's influence. Chamberlain adopted a similar approach to materials, incorporating an industrial aesthetic and a visible method of joining sculptural components. Smith translated Abstract Expressionism into a feature of his sculpture, and Chamberlain reiterated this in his own work. Smith furthered sculptural technique and vocabulary, building on the principles of Picasso and Gonzalez. His work also recalled Giacometti, such as in the wheeled *Voltri VII*. Smith's sculpture was pre-eminently linear and retained a fondness for the pictorial.

David Smith (1906^[3]-1965^[3]) began as a painter, but he is best known for his large welded steel sculptures. His influences are diverse, ranging from European modernism to the materials and processes of industrial production. Smith admired the work of Pablo Picasso and Julio González. González, a Spanish sculptor, was a pioneer of welded metal sculpture. Smith learned welding at the Studebaker automobile factory during the early 1920s. He later incorporated this knowledge into his art practice. Another important influence was the Russian Constructivist movement. Constructivism rejected traditional sculpture methods, favouring industrial materials and abstraction. Smith's open, linear sculptures, such as his "Tanktotem" series (1952^[3]-1956^[3]), show a clear connection to Constructivist principles. He also collected books and journals on modern art, keeping abreast of developments in Europe. Smith's exposure to European art provided a foundation for his own innovative approach to sculpture.

David Smith is best known for his large welded-steel sculptures. These works often blur the lines between painting and three-dimensional art. While he produced pieces in several series, *Cubi* is among his best-known. Smith began the *Cubi* series in 1961^[3]. These sculptures consist of polished stainless-steel cubes and rectangular solids welded together in seemingly precarious arrangements. *Cubi XIX*, created in 1964, is one such example. It is over nine feet tall and balances its geometric forms in a way that defies expectations. The polished surfaces reflect light and the surrounding environment, further integrating the sculpture with its setting. Smith's use of industrial materials and techniques was innovative for his time. He elevated welding, a process typically associated with manufacturing, to the level of fine art. His *Cubi* sculptures, with their abstract shapes and monumental scale, have become iconic examples of mid-20th century sculpture. They are frequently exhibited in major museums and sculpture parks.

David Smith (1906^[3]-1965^[3]) is associated with several styles, including abstract expressionism and geometric abstraction. These classifications are often applied to his sculptures. Smith began as a painter, but he turned to three-dimensional work in the 1930s. He learned welding at an automobile factory, a technique that became central to his art. Smith's early sculptures were often surrealist in character. Later, he moved towards a more abstract style. During the 1950s and 1960s, Smith created large-scale steel sculptures. These works often involved geometric forms and industrial materials. Smith's sculptures are abstract; however, they sometimes suggest the human figure or objects from the natural world. His work is often linked to the abstract expressionist movement because of its scale, its emphasis on process, and its expressive qualities. Some critics see Smith's work as a three-dimensional analogue to abstract expressionist painting. Others emphasise the geometric qualities of his constructions, placing him in relation to geometric abstraction.