David Smith
Zig I

David Smith Zig I

David Smith Zig I

Book

This unique publication for Hauser & Wirth focuses on a single sculpture by the artist David Smith, Zig I. The sculpture shows certain themes that would reoccur in the artist’s career, notably the relationship of humans to nature, and the idea of man taking a stand in the universe.

Unusually for the period, the sculpture is painted. As the daughter of the artist, Rebecca Smith explains, her father “had to push against received notions, very ingrained at the time, that sculpture should not be painted, that color and three-dimensional form should be separate, that painterly marks and color were really only for the flat surface of a canvas.”  The tactile cover, rich hue, and foiled typeface are directly inspired by the sculpture’s deep black and rust brown patina and link to its patina and a heightened sense of materiality.

The interior, comprised of a series of photographs, especially art directed for the occasion, provides a sense of the sculpture’s size and materiality. The shorter pages connect with the geometric elements of this monumental piece and create a sense of sculptural volume.

Publisher: Hauser & Wirth
Contributors: Amelia Redgrift, Cassie Packard, Randy Kennedy, Rebecca Smith
Photography: Stefan Altenburger

2019