David Smith: Cubes and Anarchy

David Smith "Blue Construction", 1938 (sheet steel, baked enamel finish) 92.1 x 72.4 x 76.2 cm

I visited the Whitney Museum and upon arrival was immediately attracted to the building’s design. This is my type of environment, I thought.  I walked to information and explained to the receptionist that I was a student at LaGuardia, but had forgotten my ID. She contacted the manager who in turn allowed me in once I probed my student status through signing in to the college’s website. I now assume she thought I was trying to get in for free because she gave me a ticket without me paying. Which was nice, but all I wanted was my student discount.

            Without further distractions, and considering I had other museums to visit that day, I hopped on the elevator onto the 4^th floor where David Smith’s Cubes and Anarchy exhibition was being held and was greeted by his amazing sculptures. I walked around trying to enjoy all the cubes, architectural lines and mathematically symmetric shapes of Smith’s work. Then, once I had reached my starting point once again, I stopped and drew a few of my favorite pieces. Some included The Hero (1951-52), 5 ½ (1956), and Blue Construction (1938).

            I respect the sculptor’s use of cubes, bent steel, roundness, and zigzags throughout his work. It made me feel nice that I could relate to his work and wanted to copy some of his techniques in a sculpture of my own. In some instances he painted the steel to give it a more organic touch which was refreshing. It was also nice to see The Hero a sculpture I had seen before at the Brooklyn Museum in a different context from how I had seen it before. At that moment, I couldn’t recall where I had seen it, but a couple of semesters ago, in my sculpture class I was assigned to visit the Brooklyn Museum. I had to draw and analyze sculptures by Rodin, as well as more contemporary pieces like Smith’s. So it was nice to have that feeling of Déjà vu when I came upon it.

            For anyone who is interested in design like I am, it is vital to look at sculptures such as these and find the principles of design within them. There is rhythm working side by side with proportion and balance. There are lines both present and omitted creating volume and negative spaces through which light can penetrate. I could still see the angles and the beautiful patina in his Blue Construction which he created by using powdered glass and baking it until it melted and blended into various dark hues. Including a royal-like shade of blue anyone would enjoy looking at.

            I had seen David Smith’s work before, as I mentioned earlier, but it wasn’t until I saw so many of his sculptures together that I began to admire the artist as a great contemporary sculptor. I don’t think I’ll be forgetting his name anytime soon.


cites: 
Whitney.org. "David Smith: Cubes and Anarchy". The Whitney Museum. 4 Dec. 2011 <http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/DavidSmith>