What: David Smith's "Pillar of Sunday" (1946) in painted steel
Where to find it: IU Art Museum
Why you should care: David Smith, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, studied painting and drawing at the Art Students League, but he had almost no formal training in sculpture. Inspired by photographs of Picasso's welded sculptures, he decided to attempt something similar. Smith infused his work with elements of cubism and surrealism. Attached to the branches of is metal work "Pillar of Sunday" are whimsical figures that recall his childhood in small-town Ohio. Drawing on childhood memories and imbuing them with fantasy was characteristic of surrealism.
