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Much of Smith's sculpture makes direct reference to the human figure, while being abstract in appearance. One of the ways in which it does this is to concentrate on the theme of verticality, which Smith constantly reinvents. The subtly modulated forms of the 'Forgings' series are highly abstracted, but continue to invoke the human body. The totemic nature and slender form of these sculptures recall the emaciated lines of Giacometti's standing figures. Smith wrote of the 'Forgings': 'It is a drawing line really. I would never have done that if I hadn't been interested in drawing lines...I don't think I could ever make a sculpture like that without making three or four hundred drawings a year'.
September 2004