Here is How Classical Hellenic and Baroque Sculptures Look When You Compress Them

We have seen various efforts to reimagine classical artworks in the past, but the way artist Adam Parker Smith does it is fairly unique. In his most recent series of works called “Crush,” Smith is compressing the classical sculptures from Hellenic and Baroque styles into blocks of marble.

According to the artist, these unique works have been partially inspired by the time he spent in Rome, Italy. Seeing the works of some of the best sculptors of all time in person, Smith decided to turn them into something new but still familiar.

“I feel like so many of my ideas start out as jokes, for better or worse,” he once explained his creative process.

The process of making the sculptures for “Crush,” which is comprised of six pieces, including compressed versions of Bernini’s “David” and “Apollo of Belvedere” by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, was long and complicated. It included making a detailed 3D model of the sculpture and then compressing it into a cube. The compressed version would then come to life after being carved into cubic meter-sized marble cubes.

Smith relied on a big team to achieve his vision, including a group of carvers, digital researchers from various museums, and a seven-axis reductive robot.

The completed sculptures are currently on public display at The Hole gallery in New York City. You can also check them out on Smith’s official Instagram or by scrolling down.