Cubi

sculpture series by Smith

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July 15, 2026

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The Cubi series was created by American sculptor David Smith starting in 1963. These sculptures are characterized by their use of burnished stainless steel and geometric forms, specifically cylinders and rectilinear solids. Smith arranged these cubiform elements at seemingly haphazard angles, creating a dynamic sense of volume and weightlessness. The Cubi series is noted for its reliance on outdoor light to animate the surfaces of the sculptures, a departure from Smith's earlier use of paint to emphasize planes. This series represents a significant development in Smith's work, moving towards monumental geometric forms that influenced later art movements like Minimalism.1

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David Smith
…of planes, but in his Cubi (begun in 1963), his last great series, Smith relied instead on the light of the sculptures’ outdoor surroundings to bring their burnished stainless-steel surfaces to life. These pieces abandon two-dimensional planes for cylinders and rectilinear solids that achieve a sense of massive volume. Smith…
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…of planes, but in his Cubi (begun in 1963), his last great series, Smith relied instead on the light of the sculptures’ outdoor surroundings to bring their burnished stainless-steel surfaces to life. These pieces abandon two-dimensional planes for cylinders and rectilinear solids that achieve a sense of massive volume. Smith…
Read More