Martin Smith is an artist, designer and craftsmen whose practise 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 Museum’s grounds. 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.’

Kinetic Arboretum (2018) is moving to a permanent location in the wildflower meadow behind the Museum over the coming weeks. Keep up-to-date about it’s new location here and on the Museum’s social media channels.