Widely regarded as a preeminent sculptor of his generation, David Smith (1906–1965) created one of his most daring and innovative series, the Forgings, while teaching at Indiana University, Bloomington, from September 1954 to June 1955. Soon after arriving in Bloomington, Smith surprisingly diverged from his regular practice of welding and learned to operate a power hammer from a local blacksmith, LeRoy Borton. Using the heat from the forge and pressure from the power hammer to shape single steel bars, Smith created eleven sculptures, each entitled Forging. The works have been described as expressive, extenuated figures and as the most reductive translation of drawing into three-dimensional space.
The exhibition will feature related abstract drawings, sketchbook drawings, and photographs, along with additional sculptures that place the Forgings within their historical circumstances and emphasize Smith’s primary themes and inventiveness. By displaying the Forgings in sculpted, drawn, and photographed forms, the exhibition emphasizes Smith’s holistic approach to his work and the interconnectedness of his media in both process and concept.
The only previous solo exhibition of Smith’s work at Indiana University took place in 1954 during his time there. His sculptures were shown at the Art Center Gallery, which predates the Eskenazi Museum of Art and its landmark I.M. Pei building. Over seventy years later, David Smith, The Forgings: Sculptures, Drawings, Photographs celebrates his legacy.
