How did David Smith use welding to transform modern sculpture?

David Smith transformed modern sculpture by pioneering the use of welding as a primary artistic technique, shifting the medium away from traditional carving and modeling toward "construction."12

Inspired by the welded metal works of Pablo Picasso and Julio González, Smith became the first American artist to adopt this industrial process for sculpture. His approach allowed for a new creative freedom, enabling him to assemble sheet metal into imposing, abstract forms.12

Smith’s work was unique in its "pictorial origins," as he often prioritized the interplay of two-dimensional planes and surface articulation over traditional three-dimensional volume. His evolution from biomorphic forms to monumental, geometric series—such as the Zigs and the stainless-steel Cubi—demonstrated how welding could be used to create dynamically unstable arrangements that achieved a sense of weightlessness. By utilizing industrial techniques to produce constructed art, Smith moved sculpture beyond the humanist traditions of artists like Henry Moore, establishing a foundation for the Minimal art movement and influencing later sculptors like Anthony Caro.12