Art of the day: SPITBALL by Tony Smith
Submitted by Evelyn Kiefer on Sat, 06/24/2006 - 00:34.
Architect, painter, sculptor -- Tony Smith was all three. Sometimes his sculptures are grouped with Minimalism, though they don't really belong in that stylistic catagory. As the title suggests, there is some humor to this piece, and, if you could walk around it and see it from all sides, you would notice it has an anthropomorphic quality. As a child, Tony Smith contracted TB and was quarantined in a tiny building in his family's backyard. During this lonely time he developed an interest in the geometric elements of architecture -- an interest that remained with him throughout his life.
Do you know where this sculpture is located? Tony Smith has a daughter who is also a successful sculptor, do you know who she is? I will post the answers with tomorrow's "Art of the Day"
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Smiths in art - Tony, ?, and my favorite, David
I like Tony Smith's work... don't know about the daughter... but I really love the unrelated sculptor David Smith... I searched around to see if there is a David Smith in NEO and the Cleveland Museum has one blue spray paint study that looks cool but isn't on disply there (under construction) and there's no image available at the Cleveland Museum site (withheld by copyright), but I seem to recall seeing it in the current MOCA show "Persistence of Geometry", which I love and you reviewed here - a small image of the David Smith "Cubi Study", 1962 is in a database here - and the David Smith Estate has a full overview of the artist here... not to digress... I look forward to learning more about Tony and his daughter from you tomorrow.
Answers to Saturday's "Art of the Day"
Tony Smith's SPITBALL is located on the Quad of Case Western Reserve University. His daughter is the feminist artist Kiki Smith.
Agnes Gund just gave Cleveland a Kiki Smith
That Kiki is focused on Little Red Riding Hood as a symbol of feminism fits Aggie Gund's social consciousness quite well... Aggie is one of the most progressive intellects on Earth, and a major supporter of progressive movements like Move On, and was a leader in the efforts to protect America and Ohio from George Bush, spending much time in Ohio campaigning for anyone but Bush during the last, disastrous presidential election Ohio painted red. I believe, in the past, Cleveland leaders' disrespect for this great woman's role in our community has alienated her, like we alienate Peter Lewis today, and that has deprived Clevelanders of great cultural assets and support. MoCA tapped into Aggie's world for help choosing an architect for their new museum, and that is a good sign of respect (so long as it isn't just a hollow gesture to tap into her bank account), but where we will really need Aggie's support in the years ahead is to make certain Ohio swings in the right direction in upcoming elections that will determine if America remains Red or goes True Blue once again, for the future. Ohio will be the key to America's future, and our two most important natives-now-departed, Aggie Gund and Peter Lewis, will be instrumental in funding political activism here against anything Bush, once again, and that is much more important than art and architecture, as important as they are. Thanks, Aggie, for all your efforts to make NEO True Blue, and giving Cleveland more great art, and teaching us about Kiki Smith and raising our social consciousness about feminism and human freedom.
the city fettering nature -- no kidding
Cleveland Museum of Art
We have certainly achieved the fettering at this point. Still a timely idea for us to consider.
Nice photo, and great word of the day... fettering
Really lovely and thought provoking... I'm sure our great industrialists and developers think of themselves just like that... big strong gods controlling the world... makes me think of the mansions around town with lions and cannons in their front yards... Hummers in the garages... WalMarts in their portfolios. And great word of the day - fettering... I had to look it up...