David Smith: Photographs, 1931-1965

Though they are largely unknown, sculptor, draughtsman and painter David Smith took photographs of great depth, beauty and precision throughout his career--from 1931 until his death in 1965. The large part of these images can be divided into two categories: the photographs of assemblages of found objects from the early and middle 1930s that were conceived as artworks themselves, and the pictures, taken mostly after 1945, that documented Smith's own sculpture. The photographs of his mature works are interpretive documents. Every sculpture, no matter how large or small, was photographed, often repeatedly, in different seasons and lighting conditions, and from different vantage points. In the 1960s, Smith also turned his camera to the figure. The images from this lifelong project are aesthetic statements in their own right and give new insight into Smith's artistic evolution. A pitch-perfect selection is collected here.Pachner, Joan is the author of 'David Smith: Photographs, 1931-1965', published 2007 under ISBN 9781881337041 and ISBN 1881337049.