Nathaniel Kyung Smith (b. 1990) was born in California and grew up in rural Minnesota. He spent his summers exploring rivers, lakes and forests, along with working at his parent’s flower shop. The vistas of Lake Superior were especially striking to him—where volcanic bluffs, expanses of still, clear water and billowing clouds converged to create landscapes of interlocking color and shape.

Centered on the human figure, Smith’s work explores existential themes of autonomy, desire, meaning, grief, and transformation. He navigates varying degrees of abstraction, seeking a balance between antiquity and modernity, anatomy and geometry, the organic and the structured, and the personal and the universal. His practice is deeply informed by the philosophies of art-historical movements, drawing significant inspiration from Greco-Roman sculpture, Naturalism, Surrealism, and Cubism.

Smith grounds his work using legacy materials including clay, oil paint and carved stone. While carving, Smith often reflects on the millions of years it took for the stone to reach its present state. Against this vast geological timeline, human existence is a mere moment—and shorter still is the lifespan of the sculptor reshaping this prehistoric material.

Smith received his BFA in Studio Arts in 2014. He has exhibited with multiple galleries including Maybaum Gallery, La Beast Gallery, Pasadena City College, and has publicly visible monuments around Los Angeles.