I would like to make sculpture that would rise from
water and tower in the air–
that carried conviction and vision that had not
existed before
that rose from a natural pool of clear water
to sandy shores with rocks and plants
that men could view as natural without reverence or awe
but to whom such things were natural because they were
statements of peaceful pursuit–and joined in the
phenomenon of life
David Smith responding (in part) to the question - What is Your Hope, final version 1950
I want you to get excited about the David Smith show,
Cubes and Anarchy, opening at LACMA on Sunday April 9th and equally excited about taking your kids to see it.
David Smith is one of my favorite sculptors. I have loved him since I first saw his work as a kid, and why not? Most of the work is supremely kid friendly - big, geometric, powerful. It's easy to be with, to understand and appreciate. You "get" it just by being next to it, inhabiting the same space. If you want a relaxing, enjoyable afternoon with art you can take you kids to LACMA without feeling that you need to spend a lot of energy getting them to appreciate what they are looking at.
Cubi 1, 1963
But kid friendliness, obviously, is not the genius of Smith.
Here you can read an excellent piece about his work but I will give you a few key points in an effort to peak your interest and get you to the show:
One of the most important contributions Smith made was to
abandon the idea of 'core' which was, at the time, pervasive in modern sculpture. Simply put, sculpture was seen, was conceptualized as, springing from a "center" - the "core." Do this - hold your fist tightly closed then allow your fingers to spring open, creating a gesture or shape with your hand. The movement and the final, resting shape you make originates from the core, your fist. It's fun really, I could play with my hand this way for a while. Well, no more core with David Smith. He worked as if he were"drawing in space." Now, imagine, even pretend that you are doing that. You can feel how very different that is. It's easy to consider the large scale possibilities as you move your arm more and more freely through space, and indeed Smith's sculptures grew very large later in his career.
Smith was inspired by the idea of the
totem and you can see a link in many of his works.
Tanktotem, 1960
Smith had "a moment of epiphany" when introduced to the welded metal sculptures of Picasso. Here he saw the use of common,
work-a-day techniques, previously reserved for making crafts or, even less importantly, every day objects,
used to create art. The connection was made that the spot-welding and soldering skills he had learned as a worker in an Indiana Studebaker factory (1925) could be applied to his art. He bought welding equipment in 1932 and began experimenting.
Picasso, Guitar after March 1914. Sheet metal and wire. Collection of MOMA
David Smith, Sawhead 1933
These works have a touch of rawness about them. Instead of being polished to gleaming "perfection" much of his best known work shows the
hand of the artist, something common in craft but not so in fine art.
As mentioned above, Smith intended for many of his sculptural pieces to feel like "drawings in space." The
intersection of painting and sculpture was an interest that lasted through most of his career.
The LACMA exhibition showcases over 100 works, including the largest grouping of Smith's "Cubis" and "Zigs" shown together in more than 25 years. With drawings, photographs, sculptures and paintings, as well as rarely seen personal journals and photos,
Cubes and Anarchy is a major, not-to-be-missed exhibition.
David Smith
Cubes and Anarchy
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
April 3 - July 24, 2011
A nice complement to the large scale LACMA show is
David Smith:Drawing Space at
Margo Leavin Gallery in West Hollywood. This show features ink and tempera works on paper from Smith's early career. The show runs through May 14th.
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