Tony Smith - Minimalist Sculpture
«Tony Smith (1912-1980) was an American sculptor, architect, and visual artist. Smith is known for his large-scale modular sculptural work and is often regarded as a pioneering figure in minimalist sculpture. After studying architecture at the New Bauhaus in Chicago with László Moholy-Nagy, György Kepes and Alexander Archipenko, Smith worked for Frank Lloyd Wright as an office clerk, and then went on to establish his own architectural firm. During the 1960’s Smith was influenced by American Abstract Expressionist artists Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko and became a sculpture. Smith also completed several public commissions, including Light Up (1971), a bright yellow steel structure, and Smug (1973), a sculpture made of plywood triangles connected by hinges. Smith’s work is included in several international collections, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Tate Gallery in London.»
