The Fields of David Smith

David Smith strove to create works of art that could be viewed "without reverence or awe" because they were, in his words, "natural . . . statements of peaceful pursuit." Intrinsic to this hope was his conviction that sculpture belongs in the elements, with sky and earth as its visible reference points. The Fields of David Smith celebrates a three-year exhibition in the expansive landscape of the Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York. The aim of the curators has been to recapture the experience of viewing Smith's work during his lifetime, when it was deployed with care and exuberance in ever-changing arrangements in his fields at Bolton Landing in the Adirondacks. The book first re-creates the scene at Bolton Landing. A moving essay by Smith's daughter Candida captures in the most personal and direct terms the man himself, his struggles and delights, and the intensity of his working life. This is followed by a memoir by Irving Sandler and reminiscences by friends of the artist. The text is accompanied by photographs by fellow artists and by Smith himself. The balance of the book is a sumptuous album of the evolving Storm King exhibition, featuring major works by Smith sent from collections all over the country. Jerry L. Thompson, one of the foremost photographers of sculpture, has captured Smith's work in summer and snow, at sunrise and dusk, glistening in the rain and presiding over the mists. The interplay between the works and their surroundings, and the effects of light on their surfaces, provides a new lens through which to view the sculpture of David Smith. With contributions by Mark di Suvero, Helen Frankenthaler, Anthony Caro, Kenneth Noland, and others. Historical photography by David Smith, Dan Budnik, Alexander Liberman, and others.