Skip to main content

Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Canadian
Canadian sculptor P. Roch Smith 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. P. Roch Smith’s work is included in private, corporate and museum collections. P. Roch Smith’s work centres on the creativity of play, equilibrium and disequilibrium, and how memories are constructed and held in place - a geography of memory. Smith presents work in which the mass produced (plastic army figures – model kits - tools) are merged with the organic (tree branches, sisal twine and yarn). The figures are unified by bronze casting – fixing their hybridity in both a metaphoric and material manner. The relational nature of value is examined as the tiny scale of the bronze figures is the antithesis of monumentality usually associated with bronze as a sculptural material. While bronze casting normally speaks to permanence and the epic, the scale of these works creates a form of intimacy. Play has been theorized as a liminal space – occupying both the real and the imagined simultaneously. It is within this topography that Smith tries to point to certain aspects of the human condition. Does replacing the guns on toys with branches change the essential meaning of the situation? Is it absurd? Can a small figure evoke a sympathetic response or reaction? We manufacture toys with the intention of enabling children to play and the assumption is that this play is free, unencumbered and not contingent. Pulling back, however, it may be argued that the inherent structure of the toy itself echoes strictly adult concerns. Toys and play easily normalize certain ideas about one’s place in the greater scheme of things. Thankfully, children have also long subverted these rigid narrative structures. The altering of toys – drawing tattoos on a doll or shaving the “life-like” hair off of a GI Joe figure – is an aspirational act and speaks to claiming new narratives. As a maker, Smith maintains this drive to construct and model objects with a sense of playfulness. Ideally, the works are at turns humorous but also manage to evoke a pathos associated with labour, work and the monumentality of mundane tasks. The figures carry weight in both a literal and figurative manner beyond what should be their actual capacity. The scale of the works are important for their small-scale for they invite both a broad and intimate viewing. Viewing the work one enters a space of inspection – of being a giant in a land that is off-kilter – witness to a precarious balance.
to
5
2
1
4
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
12
12
8
7
5
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
12
12
5
2
12
125
112
100
88
Artist: Roch Smith
Whimsical Underpinning - surrealist, abstract, male figurative, bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This indoor figurative bronze sculpture comes from the imagination of Canadian artist Roch Smith. The idea for this bronze series of ‘tree men’ first came to Roch Smith in a daydrea...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Shelter - surrealist, contemporary, figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary outdoor figurative metal sculpture is by Roch Smith. Canadian artist Roch Smith’s playful and thoughtful visual language often tackles big life themes in an imagin...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

The Craftsman ed.2/2 - surrealist, canoe, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This bronze figurative tabletop sculpture by Roch Smith features a canoe. Canadian sculptor Roch Smith has turned his attention to a cherished national and historic pastime—canoeing...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

The Contour of Balance - tall, figurative, bronze, steel, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
As a sculptor, Roch Smith often interprets the big questions in life in imaginative and playful ways. The Toronto artist is known for his use of toys –familiar childhood images that ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Pause 2/3 - desktop bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The legendary canoeist and Canadian filmmaker Bill Mason once said, “First God made the canoe then he created a country to go with it.” Sculptor Roch Smith has embraced the iconic i...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Greeting - surrealist, abstract, figurative, male, bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This indoor figurative bronze sculpture is made by Canadian artist Roch Smith. The imaginative sculptural work of Roch Smith often takes a playful approach to more serious themes. H...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Daily Grind - contemporary, male, figurative, patinated bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This contemporary, male, figurative, patinated bronze sculpture was created by artist P Roch Smith. A tower of cups stacked face to face and end to end creates a beautifully undulating formal column reminiscent of Brancusi's Endless Column. Precariously balanced on the shoulders of a small bronze figure...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Downhill (Knight Ave) - tall, narrative, figurative, male, bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This fun and somewhat whimsical sculpture recalls a cherished childhood memory for Roch Smith. The Toronto-based sculptor has hand-forged the bronze figure of a young boy on a bike balancing upright on its back wheel-popping a wheelie. He stands poised to ride off the top of a high, narrow steel track that ends in a loop reminiscent of the popular ‘Hot Wheels’ toy race car...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Cavendish, PEI - surrealist, abstract, figurative, male, bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Roch Smith’s ‘Tree Man’ series of bronze tabletop sculptures are playful pieces that feature figures whose human limbs have been replaced by tree branches. This figure is dressed for...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Old School Beats 1/3 - small, surrealist, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Remember the boom box? Roch Smith does. The precursor to the current generation of music devices like the ‘beats’ headphones, this boom box is huge and sits on the shoulders of a cas...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

House Hunter 1/3 - small, surrealist, figurative, bronze and wood sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Toronto artist Roch Smith often uses toy figures in clever and fun ways to convey cultural statements that go beyond child’s play. This tabletop figure is bending over, arms extended...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Assist - surrealist, abstract, male, figurative, bronze tabletop sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This indoor figurative bronze sculpture comes from the imagination of Canadian artist Roch Smith. The clever sculptures of Roch Smith are often inspired by images, forms and texture...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Related Items
"Laid Back" figurative bronze table sculpture dog relax carefree boy enjoy life
By Mireia Serra
Located in Kowloon, Hong Kong
When was the last time you broke yourself from the hustle and bustle of the daily routine, spent quality time with yourself and enjoyed the ease of mind and soul? "Our lives are com...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Vliegende Uil no. 3 Flying Owl Bronze Sculpture Wild Animal Contemporary
By Evert den Hartog
Located in Utrecht, NL
Vliegende Uil no. 3 Flying Owl Bronze Sculpture Wild Animal Contemporary Evert den Hartog (born in Groot-Ammers, The Netherlands in 1949) followed his education to be a sculptor at t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Shadow" contemporary bronze table wall sculpture figurative reflection sensuous
Located in Kowloon, Hong Kong
Reflex is bronze sculpture wall table sculpture, it is connected to a steel base. The sculpture depicts human figures in a dynamic pose, as if caught in mid-movement. The fluid lines...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Road Trip- desktop 11/50- Kevin Box and Beth Johnson
By Kevin Box
Located in Napa, CA
It took two years of tireless experimentation for me to develop the process of casting paper into bronze, another seven years to perfect, and it continues to evolve today.” - Kevin B...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Stainless Steel

Reflections, bronze female bust sculpture contemplative peaceful Troy Williams
By Troy Williams
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Reflections, bronze female bust sculpture contemplative peaceful Troy Williams Sculptor Troy Williams unites the timeless and the contemporary i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

A Handful of Stars, patinated bronze sculpture with walnut base, signed edition
By Betye Saar
Located in New York, NY
Betye Saar A Handful of Stars, 2016 Bronze with patina and walnut base Signed: Incised signature and numbered 7 × 3 × 2 1/2 inches Unframed Acquired from the International Sculpture ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Alegria II" contemporary bronze table, mural sculpture figurative girl yoga
Located in Kowloon, Hong Kong
Alegria II is a bronze sculpture with black patina, it is connected to a steel base. The edition size is 25. This sculpture stands on shelf as well as be hung on wall. Joan wants to ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

"Minimalist Seated Figure" Sculpture 5" x 2" x 3" inch by Sarkis Tossonian
By Sarkis Tossonian
Located in Culver City, CA
"Minimalist Seated Figure" Sculpture 5" x 2" x 3" inch by Sarkis Tossonian Sarkis Tossoonian was born in Alexandria in 1953. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts/Sculpture in ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Girl Sitting on Panel-contemporary bronze sculpture, nude female on rustic panel
By Susanne Kraisser
Located in Hamburg, DE
"Sitting Girl on Panel" is a bronze sculpture of a nude sitting female on a rustic panel. Edition 30, signed, numbered and dated on the back. The rustic panel can be hung on a wall ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Mixed Media Sculpture: Rhoman Sword
By Joshua Goode
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by amateur archaeologists such as Heinrich Schliemann who discovered Troy and by past elaborate hoaxes like that of the Piltdown Man, Joshua travels the world performing sta...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Gold Leaf

Inner Dialogue
By Jim Rennert
Located in Greenwich, CT
Edition of 3 American, b. 1958 Jim Rennert was born in 1958, and grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Utah. After ten trying years of working in business, Rennert was i...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Inner Dialogue
Inner Dialogue
$125,000
H 77 in W 36 in D 48 in
Contemporary Nude Figurative Ballet Dancer Bronze Sculpture Siesta , brown
By Benson Landes
Located in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Siesta by Benson Landes. A bronze figurative sculpture of a woman reclining in a hammock captures an exquisite balance between relaxation and elegance. The sculptor presents the fem...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Previously Available Items
Conversation - surrealist, contemporary, figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This playful outdoor figurative contemporary metal sculpture is by Roch Smith. Canadian artist Roch Smith’s distinctive visual language captures our collective imaginations. Known f...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Stainless Steel

Skirt 1/3 - small, surrealist, canoe, male, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Pierre Trudeau, a former Canadian Prime Minister and an avid outdoorsman and canoeist once said, “Paddle a hundred miles in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.” This play...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Gunnel Bobbing 1/3 - surrealist, canoe, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This surrealist, canoe, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture was created by Canadian artist Roch Smith. It is an old game. Gunnel or ‘gunwale’ bobbing. Two people stand on the gunnel...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Wanderer - surrealist, contemporary, figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This surrealist, contemporary, figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture is by Canadian sculptor Roch Smith. Smith returns to a favorite theme and form with this new imaginative ‘tree br...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

An accumulation of Experiences - figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This figurative, bronze, outdoor sculpture is by Roch Smith. Inspired by life’s big questions, Roch Smith creates thoughtful and playful contemporary sculptures. This figure cast in ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Kinship - surrealist, male, figurative, bronze outdoor furniture sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This surrealist, male, figurative, bronze outdoor furniture sculpture is by Roch Smith. Roch Smith’s engaging contemporary sculptures are desi...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Vista - tall, playful, figurative, bronze, steel, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
In this playful and imaginative sculpture by Roch Smith a figure, cast in bronze sits on a high steel chair. The Canadian artist is known for his inspired sculptures that often tackl...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Stainless Steel

Ascent - figurative, sculpture, tall, contemporary, bronze, steel
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Canadian Sculptor Roch Smith is highly regarded for his provocative and playful contemporary artwork. Cast in bronze, this sculpture revisits a favoured theme—the human desire and s...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Stainless Steel

Pause 1/3 - small, surrealist, canoe, male, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
The legendary canoeist and Canadian filmmaker Bill Mason once said, “First God made the canoe then he created a country to go with it.” Sculptor Roch Smith has embraced the iconic i...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Hold Fast - tall, surrealist, male, figurative, bronze, steel, outdoor sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Toronto artist Roch Smith was inspired by recent events to create a new metal sculpture that reflects on the idea of community—lending a hand to others in need. ‘Hold Fast’ is a play...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Work/Play Balance - tall, narrative, figurative, male, bronze, wood, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
As a young boy Roch Smith used to take apart his mother’s wooden clothes pegs and glue them together to create various objects like ships and cars. Recalling those early creative imp...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Reliable Technology - tall, narrative, figurative, male, bronze sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Roch Smith continues to conjure up images of his childhood by creating uniquely dynamic and fun sculptures. This piece combines two popular playtime objects—Tinker Toys and a tin can...
Category

2010s Contemporary Roch Smith Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Steel

Roch Smith figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Roch Smith figurative sculptures available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Roch Smith in bronze, metal, steel and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Roch Smith figurative sculptures, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Jennifer Small, Bevan Ramsay, and Ginette Legare. Roch Smith figurative sculptures prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,600 and tops out at $19,000, while the average work can sell for $7,530.

Recently Viewed

View All