Shrine exemplifies Martin Smith’s meditative approach to sculpture — a study in balance, rhythm, and the quiet vitality of stone. Crafted from contrasting Purbeck and Afghan marble, the work layers smooth, organic forms in a poised vertical composition that evokes both geological strata and spiritual architecture. The interplay of light, texture, and form gives the sculpture an almost musical stillness, inviting contemplation and calm.

Smith’s practice is grounded in an enduring dialogue with the material itself. Having studied stone-carving at the Centro d’Arte Verrocchio (Casole d’Elsa, Tuscany), Arco Arte (Carrara), and West Dean College, he brings both classical discipline and contemporary sensitivity to his work. Though aware of the ancient lineage of stone sculpture — from Egyptian and classical art through to modern abstraction — his work resists imitation, instead drawing subtle inspiration from organic forms and natural rhythm.

A sculptor for more than twenty years, Smith previously balanced his artistic practice with a career as an academic editor at the Voltaire Foundation, University of Oxford. He works in both figurative and abstract idioms, with a meticulous attention to line, surface, and finish. His sculptures often act as devices for capturing light and shadow, transforming raw stone into a language of form and reflection.

Winner of the Mary Moser Award (2013–14), Martin Smith continues to explore the expressive and spiritual dimensions of stone, finding in each work a balance between permanence and breath, mass and movement.