Image: Kinetic Arboretum
Statement News

Martin Smith is an artist whose research and work are concerned with people's perception and interpretation of space. He undertakes quite large architectural commissions that interact with their given space and the viewer through mechanical movement.  Alongside this work, his practice is also concerned with making kinetic devices that investigate themes of repetition, precision and rules. These utopian objects and spaces are what currently drive his work forward.


Martin is also the Co-Founder and Art Director of the design label, Laikingland. The collaborative work he creates through this company plays with the themes of humour, nonsense and futility.

 

The Kinetic Arboretum will be sited at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, from March 2023.

The Magic of the Silver Swan, The Bowes Museum, UK. This exciting new exhibition explores movement and kinetic art, from historical to the contemporary. Inspired by the Museum’s famous Silver Swan, this show features objects from our collection alongside work from contemporary artists; Tobias Bradford, Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, Bruce Lacey, Rebecca Moss, Helen Pailing, Kinnara Saraiya, Yinka Shonibare and Martin Smith.
Martin Smith Studio have been commission by The Harley Gallery to create a series of kinetic trees to be sited along their Cave Art to Contemporary Art Walking Trail. Installation March 2022.

Bird, Bellow, Whistle was recently featured in Mechanical Marvels: Clockwork Dreams on BBC Four. A documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer which charts the amazing and untold story of automata - extraordinary clockwork machines designed hundreds of years ago to mimic and recreate life.

 
 
Telephone: +44 (0) 7891 593130
Copyright © Martin Smith 2023, all rights reserved.