Tony Smith1912-1980(Photo by Hans Namuth)
Underrated? Maybe, he's definitely not overrated.Overlooked? I think so.I love me some Anthony Peter Smith either way.I may even own one,(more on that in another post)and I'm pretty damn sure I sold onenot knowing what it was.I wish the guy that bought it had just paid and walked outthe doorrather than announcing he was a Tony Smith scholarand gloating that he believed the painted piece of cardboard I had just sold himfor nothing was a maquette.Ignorance is bliss,but it was that little bit of bad news thatmade me go out and buy thisbook so many years ago.If I were you, I'd go buy one too....Tony Smith with "Bennington Structure"1961Tony Smith"Stamos House" under construction1951Tony Smith"Scoppettone House"(axonometric and plan)1952Tony Smith"Olsen House"(site plan)c. 1951Tony Smith"Bees Do It"Wood Model1970Tony Smith"Memphis"Painted Wood Model1962-63Tony Smith"Generation"Cast Bronze1965Tony Smith, Jane Smith and Tennessee Williams.(Tennessee was Tony's Best man at his wedding to Jane.)Tony Smithc. 1946-47I want to know what is going on here.Are those paintings in the background?Is that a cash register, a sculpture or both?Tony Smith with Barnett Newman and Action Jackson Pollock.1951(Photo by Hans Namuth)Tony Smith with "Bat Cave" model.1969Tony SmithPlywood mock-ups of "Amarylis", "Spitball" and "Cigarette"1966Great names!Tony Smith looking pissed or determined,you choose.1970(Photo by Hans Namuth)Tony Smith with "Cigarette" installed in the garden ofthe Museum of Modern Art.New York1979(Photo by Hans Namuth)