Martin Smith is an artist, designer and craftsmen whose practice is based on the simple desire to make beautiful things. He likes to draw people’s attention to the parts of the functional objects we rarely see, highlighting rather than hiding, the moving mechanism. Smith’s installation, Kinetic Arboretum’s (2018) is sited in the grounds and has recently moved to its permanent location in the wildflower meadow behind the Museum. The three metal trees respond to the elements with gentle, rhythmical movements.

Martin says,

“I am interested in those things that people can do, and nature can’t: such as repetition, formality, control of form, of texture and of colour. I am also interested in human’s ability to capture nature and transform it: be it wind to movement, sun into reflection and heat, rain into patterns, time into weathering and seasons into responsive environments.”