Ken Smith, Landscape as Cultural Criticism

Abstract

In the work of Ken Smith, landscape architecture is a reinvigorated three-dimensional art form. Smith is devoted both to modern landscape aesthetics—as seen in projects by American landscape architects Dan Kiley (1912–2004), Paul Friedberg (b. 1931), and Robert Zion (b. 1921)—and to the expression of a contemporary urban place that engages the public through the artistic and inventive use of natural and artificial materials. From the modernists Smith learned how to articulate the differences between hardscapes and softscapes, to expose structure, to emphasize the contrast between urban forests and open spaces, and to formulate his idea of a sublime constructed nature that enhances urban experience. Smith also offers an ironic view of contemporary culture, imbuing his works with content in a subtle manipulation of form, material, and texture that encourages observers to perceive their environment in a new way.