Throwback (1976-1979) is an iconic monumental sculpture by American minimalist sculptor, painter, and architect Tony Smith. Produced in an edition of three, the version presented in ICA Miami's Sculpture Garden is a working model welded by the artist.
Smith is widely recognized for his large-scale modular sculptures produced in the 60s and 70s. Heavily influenced by his architectural training and practice, Smith's reduced forms explore space and volume in relation to the human body and themes of self and spirituality. While his forms and materials place him in proximity to the minimalist art of the 60s, his work also involves the heroism and humanism of 50s abstract expressionism. Resting on three points, Throwback wraps and folds into itself, offering a variety of perspectives and advantages over its unfolded forms with no distinct front, back, beginning or end. Through its simple and fluid structure, Throwback activates the surrounding space, inviting viewers to move and explore the work from various angles and perspectives.
Tony Smith (b. 1912, South Orange, New Jersey; d. 1980, New York) became known in the 60s in the context of minimalist art and was included in the group show Primary Structures at the Jewish Museum, New York, in 1966 Major retrospectives of his work have been presented at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (2017); Menil Collection, Houston (2010); Institut Valencia d'Art Modern, Spain (2002); and Museum of Modern Art, New York (1998). Smith's works are in the permanent collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York; Art Institute of Chicago; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among others.
Cover image: Tony Smith, Throwback, 1976. Painted steel. Collection Martin Z. Margulies. Photo: Peter Harholdt.
