Cubi VII

While the Art Institute of Chicago lists "Cubi VII" as being by Willi Smith, and dated 1963, this attribution appears to be incorrect based on available information about the artist. Willi Smith (1948-1987) was a renowned American fashion designer, celebrated for his accessible and affordable clothing that helped democratize fashion. He launched his company, WilliWear Limited, in 1976, and his work primarily involved textiles and costume design, including collaborations with choreographers and filmmakers. His career began in the late 1960s, and his earliest known works are fashion designs from that period. There is no record of Willi Smith creating stainless steel sculptures, nor would he have been old enough (15 years old) in 1963 to have produced a major work like "Cubi VII." The "Cubi" series is famously associated with abstract expressionist sculptor David Smith (1906-1965), who created numerous large-scale stainless steel sculptures with this title during the 1960s. It is highly probable that "Cubi VII" is actually a work by David Smith, and the Art Institute's listing is an error in artist attribution and possibly the year.