Smile

1974

Lynda Benglis American, born 1941

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About the Artwork

Title Smile

Artwork Date 1974

Artist Lynda Benglis

Life Dates born 1941

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. American

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. ----------

Medium Cast bronze

Dimensions Overall: 6 1/2 × 15 1/2 × 2 1/4 inches (16.5 × 39.4 × 5.7 cm)

Classification Sculpture

Department Contemporary Art after 1950

Credit Gift of the Lila and Gilbert Silverman Collection

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 2023.123.1

Markings

Signed Signed and dated, inscribed into bronze, at center: Bengalis '74

Provenance

1974-2003, Collection of the artist;
2003, sold by (Solomon Projects, Atlanta, Georgia, USA);
2003-2020, purchased by Gilbert B. Silverman [1925-2016] and Lila Silverman [1933-2020] (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA);
2020-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA), accessioned to the collection in 2023

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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Published References

Circa 1970: Lynda Benglis and Louise Bourgeois. Exh. cat., Cheim & Read. New York, 2007, pp. 12-13 (ill.).

Gautherot, Franck, Caroline Hancock, and Seungduk Kim, eds. Lynda Benglis. Exh. cat., Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum; Irish Museum of Modern Art; Le Consortium; Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, and New Museum of Contemporary Art. Dijon, 2009, p. 99 (ill.); p. 232 (ill.)-233.

Richmond, Susan. Lynda Benglis: Beyond Process. London, 2013, no. 54, p. 145 (ill.).

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Lynda Benglis, Smile, 1974, cast bronze. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of the Lila and Gilbert Silverman Collection, 2023.123.1.

No Available Image

Dress

Elizabeth Hawes

1937

No Available Image

Dress

American

c. 1947

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Smile

About the Artwork

Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Published References

Catalogue Raisoneé

Credit Line for Reproduction

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