Making Art Work - The Mike Smith Studio

How are works of art actually made? 

In West London, the Mike Smith Studio are a collection of engineers, designers and fabricators -  running a workshop which specialises in the physical production of sculpture and fine art. This book is a visual documentation of work made since the studio opened, 26 years ago. Work which includes the likes of Mona Hatoum, Damien Hirst and Mark Wallinger.

Taking the reader through a behind the scenes look at the studio’s work, the archive of photographs unpicks the practicalities of how art is made; giving you a completely different perspective about artwork, fabrication, its value, and authorship. The image collection showcases the complex processes and experimental use of materials the studio has trialled over the years - how to crush and form aluminium; how to create mounds of organic matter into sculpture; how to push the boundaries of architecture; the welders and the engineers behind it.

These references, sketches and case studies are interwoven with interviews from artists the studio has worked with in the past, alongside critical texts reflecting on the production of art in an historical context. How did audiences value art fabrication in the Renaissance, compared to the way institutions do now?

This book is something that you are more likely to flip through every so often, rather than rigorously read -  but for those looking for inspiration; or are simply interested in an insider’s look at the complexities of how things are made, it makes a useful addition to any studio bookshelf. 

Related titles

The Art of Not Making, Michael Petry

For art fabrication in Scotland:

We recommend Scott Associates, Silo Design and Build, Glasgow Sculpture Studios or Old School Fabrications.