The thoughtful, playful sculptures of Roch Smith often revolve around the idea of finding balance in one’s life. With this bronze, patinated piece, the Toronto artist has cast a male figure precariously balanced on a shortboard sitting on a ball. He is straining under the weight of a tower of stacked spheres resting on his shoulders–a visual representation of life’s challenges.

“I am continually drawn to representing moments that are precarious: an object that is just about to topple over; a figure that is straining to keep a much larger object aloft; or an object balanced in a way that strains credulity. Tentative moments capture my imagination: things at the margins; moments just before something uncertain happens; or a memory that is just outside the reaches of easy recall. I ponder how these moments might be represented in concrete form.” Roch Smith

He received a BFA (Honours Sculpture) from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (ECIAD - 1997) and an MFA from York University (2003). A teacher as well as an artist, he has taught classes at the University of Waterloo, ECIAD and York University. He currently manages and operates the bronze and aluminum foundry at York University. Roch Smith has exhibited throughout Canada and in the US. His work is included in private, corporate and museum collections.