"The first works are based on the facets of the body, then I become more overt about languages of craft and decorative arts." – Kiki Smith, 1997
content and meaning, on existential questions and answers in direct response to the world. The artist investigates the human body without fear of taboos, humiliation, or the constraints of shame, engaging with the human condition.
Her works tackle the subjects of age, dying and death, pain and healing, reanimation, wholeness and fragmentation, birth, sexuality, gender, identity and memory, as well as the ecological crisis of the planet. In the early 1990s, Smith began to incorporate history, mythology, legends and fairy tales into her work as well as elements of religion.
Her first sculptures were dedicated to parts of the body such as disembodied arms and fingers. By the mid-1980s, the artist seemed to dissect the entire human anatomy (using knowledge from training as an Emergency Medical Technician alongside her sister Beatrice in 1985), first drawing individual organs and then casting sculptures of them in bronze. She later returns to a focus on the body’s outer appearance, initially through soft materials such as gampi paper in 1987, and finally reproduces the human figure in its entirety in a life-size sculpture made of beeswax in 1991. Some of these full-scale wax sculptures from the 1990s are captured by Smith’s photography in her studio. Their perspectives and extreme close-ups render the sculptures’ status as objects or people uncertain. The blurry depths of field and other snapshot-like visual markers indicate Smith’s investigative use of photography to interrogate the afterlives of her sculptural practice.
In the Middle Galleries we encounter a Wünderkammer, ‘a cabinet of curiosities’ containing a myriad of forms and materials, both human and animal. The artist began making these multiples (limited series of identical objects, often cast) around 1980. Compelling evocations of the body – often dissected or disembodied – can be seen in this abundance of Kiki Smith’s material experimentation, from bronze, plaster, glass and porcelain to papier mâché, resin, cast silver and gold leaf – demonstrating her constant curiosity. A collection of hybrid creatures and natural phenomena are also displayed including a glass frog, a porcelain dead cat, a silver shooting star and a bat cast in bronze with piercing ruby eyes. , 2012. Jacquard, 2012. tapestry © Kiki Smith. Courtesy Timothy London/New Taylor, and Magnolia York Editions. ‘I am a wanderer,’ Kiki Smith says. And indeed, she is a wanderer through time , 2000. Published by Universal Limited Art Editions. © Kiki Smith and Universal Limited Art Editions. , Sky and space, making ‘contact’ on a decades-long imaginary journey that takes her through foreign cultures. With the wanderlust of a cultural anthropologist she roams through lands and historical epochs, collecting and preserving the heritage of our collective memory. The artist herself speaks of the possibilities of ‘resurrection’ and ‘regeneration’, creating visions of beauty, reconciliation Pool of Tears II , Pool Tears of and hope in a dystopian world, communicating both poetic sensibility and appeal for action. Kiki Smith:
Imagecourtesy of Universal Limited Art Editions. Cover images: Kiki Smith
Kiki Smith This exhibition is curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz. I am a Wanderer
sexual identity and social gender, and feminist activism. She focuses on on focuses She activism. feminist and gender, social and identity sexual Gallery. Pace and Artist the courtesy Tom by Barratt, Photograph Smith Kiki
cultural changes of this time, as shaped by the AIDS crisis, discourse on on discourse crisis, AIDS the by shaped as time, this of changes cultural Smith’s early artworks were influenced by the incredible political, social and and social political, incredible the by influenced were artworks early Smith’s
, Crashed Bat
bodies in an effort to find a language for my own discomfort and anxiety.’ anxiety.’ and discomfort own my for language a find to effort an in bodies
and overt military aggression in Central America. I began using images of of images using began I America. Central in aggression military overt and
sex, drugs and rock and roll, but also the time of the United States’ covert covert States’ United the of time the also but roll, and rock and drugs sex,
1976. The late 1970s and 80s was a moment of romantic enthrallment with with enthrallment romantic of moment a was 80s and 1970s late The 1976.
, 1998. Courtesy Pace Gallery. Gallery. Pace Courtesy , 1998. As the artist explains: ‘I moved to the Lower East Side of New York City in in City York New of Side East Lower the to moved ‘I explains: artist the As
Her inspiration has always derived from daily life and everyday experiences. experiences. everyday and life daily from derived always has inspiration Her
states such as fear, dissonance and trauma. trauma. and dissonance fear, as such states
context, and pathos, in Kiki Smith’s art feelings come to the fore: emotional emotional fore: the to come feelings art Smith’s Kiki in pathos, and context,
the asceticism of the materials, and the banishment of emotion, historical historical emotion, of banishment the and materials, the of asceticism the
and Minimalism. Instead of the Minimal emphasis on the reduction of forms, forms, of reduction the on emphasis Minimal the of Instead Minimalism. and
painter, and sculptor Tony Smith, an important figure of Abstract Expressionism Expressionism Abstract of figure important an Smith, Tony sculptor and painter,
artistic milieu of her parents, opera singer Jane Lawrence and architect, architect, and Lawrence Jane singer opera parents, her of milieu artistic Kiki Smith’s childhood in New Jersey was shaped by the intellectual and and intellectual the by shaped was Jersey New in childhood Smith’s Kiki Courtesy the Artist and Pace Gallery. Pace and Artist the Courtesy Smith Kiki
Untitled (Daughter) , Untitled
animals between connection the portrays continually Smith environment.
visual and material solidarity with marginalised beings and the natural natural the and beings marginalised with solidarity material and visual
a through expressed equally is work artist’s the of urgency political The
culture. research renowned Oxford’s of context science and arts the with
parallel interesting an creates particular, in printmaking media, of variety The interdisciplinary and collaborative spirit of Smith’s work across a rich rich a across work Smith’s of spirit collaborative and interdisciplinary The
, 1999. , 1999.
of forms and materials. and forms of
variety a in bodies heavenly and plants kinds, all of animals creatures, hybrid
time and space, foreign as well as familiar ones: female figures in particular, particular, in figures female ones: familiar as well as foreign space, and time
Kiki Smith unfurls an entire world populated by beings of different cultures in in cultures different of beings by populated world entire an unfurls Smith Kiki
perfect host for an exhibition so rich in storytelling and mythology, in which which in mythology, and storytelling in rich so exhibition an for host perfect
exemplified by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. The city is the the is city The Carroll. Lewis and Tolkien J.R.R. Lewis, C.S. by exemplified
historic museum collections and strong tradition of fantastical literature, literature, fantastical of tradition strong and collections museum historic
with the artist, and in dialogue with the city of Oxford, its medieval heritage, heritage, medieval its Oxford, of city the with dialogue in and artist, the with
collaboration close in generated was works of selection exhibition’s This
the survival of both, and the planet as a whole. a as planet the and both, of survival the
– Kiki Smith, 1997 Smith, Kiki –
secure will that nature and humanity between respect mutual is it that us
direction." that remind to beauty and art through communicates Smith environmentalist,
from images that catch my attention.’ In the manner of a subtle, poetic poetic subtle, a of manner the In attention.’ my catch that images from that certain materials interest you, and you go in in go you and you, interest materials certain that
things make I animals. and habitat our with relationship our to attached
But that’s only in retrospect. At the time it’s more more it’s time the At retrospect. in only that’s But
completely is identity our world... natural the with interdependent are
[...] cosmologies to body religious the to bodies to
‘We says: Smith message. timely and sincere a convey to life, to comes
systems to organs microscopic the from went I – beasts) of compendium medieval (a ‘bestiary’ modern Her protection.
work my in matter subject of path a see do "I and humans in new configurations, emphasising friendship, survival, and and survival, friendship, emphasising configurations, new in humans and "The first works are based on the facets of the body, then I become more overt about languages of craft and decorative arts." – Kiki Smith, 1997
content and meaning, on existential questions and answers in direct response to the world. The artist investigates the human body without fear of taboos, humiliation, or the constraints of shame, engaging with the human condition.
Her works tackle the subjects of age, dying and death, pain and healing, reanimation, wholeness and fragmentation, birth, sexuality, gender, identity and memory, as well as the ecological crisis of the planet. In the early 1990s, Smith began to incorporate history, mythology, legends and fairy tales into her work as well as elements of religion.
Her first sculptures were dedicated to parts of the body such as disembodied arms and fingers. By the mid-1980s, the artist seemed to dissect the entire human anatomy (using knowledge from training as an Emergency Medical Technician alongside her sister Beatrice in 1985), first drawing individual organs and then casting sculptures of them in bronze. She later returns to a focus on the body’s outer appearance, initially through soft materials such as gampi paper in 1987, and finally reproduces the human figure in its entirety in a life-size sculpture made of beeswax in 1991. Some of these full-scale wax sculptures from the 1990s are captured by Smith’s photography in her studio. Their perspectives and extreme close-ups render the sculptures’ status as objects or people uncertain. The blurry depths of field and other snapshot-like visual markers indicate Smith’s investigative use of photography to interrogate the afterlives of her sculptural practice.
In the Middle Galleries we encounter a Wünderkammer, ‘a cabinet of curiosities’ containing a myriad of forms and materials, both human and animal. The artist began making these multiples (limited series of identical objects, often cast) around 1980. Compelling evocations of the body – often dissected or disembodied – can be seen in this abundance of Kiki Smith’s material experimentation, from bronze, plaster, glass and porcelain to papier mâché, resin, cast silver and gold leaf – demonstrating her constant curiosity. A collection of hybrid creatures and natural phenomena are also displayed including a glass frog, a porcelain dead cat, a silver shooting star and a bat cast in bronze with piercing ruby eyes. , 2012. Jacquard, 2012. tapestry © Kiki Smith. Courtesy Timothy London/New Taylor, and Magnolia York Editions. ‘I am a wanderer,’ Kiki Smith says. And indeed, she is a wanderer through time , 2000. Published by Universal Limited Art Editions. © Kiki Smith and Universal Limited Art Editions. , Sky and space, making ‘contact’ on a decades-long imaginary journey that takes her through foreign cultures. With the wanderlust of a cultural anthropologist she roams through lands and historical epochs, collecting and preserving the heritage of our collective memory. The artist herself speaks of the possibilities of ‘resurrection’ and ‘regeneration’, creating visions of beauty, reconciliation Pool of Tears II , Pool Tears of and hope in a dystopian world, communicating both poetic sensibility and appeal for action. Kiki Smith:
Cover images: Kiki Smith Kiki Smith Imagecourtesy of Universal Limited Art Editions. This exhibition is curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz. I am a Wanderer
sexual identity and social gender, and feminist activism. She focuses on on focuses She activism. feminist and gender, social and identity sexual Gallery. Pace and Artist the courtesy Tom by Barratt, Photograph Smith Kiki
cultural changes of this time, as shaped by the AIDS crisis, discourse on on discourse crisis, AIDS the by shaped as time, this of changes cultural Smith’s early artworks were influenced by the incredible political, social and and social political, incredible the by influenced were artworks early Smith’s
, Crashed Bat
bodies in an effort to find a language for my own discomfort and anxiety.’ anxiety.’ and discomfort own my for language a find to effort an in bodies
and overt military aggression in Central America. I began using images of of images using began I America. Central in aggression military overt and
covert States’ United the of time the also but roll, and rock and drugs sex, 1976. The late 1970s and 80s was a moment of romantic enthrallment with with enthrallment romantic of moment a was 80s and 1970s late The 1976.
, 1998. Courtesy Pace Gallery. Gallery. Pace Courtesy , 1998. As the artist explains: ‘I moved to the Lower East Side of New York City in in City York New of Side East Lower the to moved ‘I explains: artist the As
experiences. everyday and life daily from derived always has inspiration Her
states such as fear, dissonance and trauma. trauma. and dissonance fear, as such states
context, and pathos, in Kiki Smith’s art feelings come to the fore: emotional emotional fore: the to come feelings art Smith’s Kiki in pathos, and context,
the asceticism of the materials, and the banishment of emotion, historical historical emotion, of banishment the and materials, the of asceticism the
and Minimalism. Instead of the Minimal emphasis on the reduction of forms, forms, of reduction the on emphasis Minimal the of Instead Minimalism. and
painter, and sculptor Tony Smith, an important figure of Abstract Expressionism Expressionism Abstract of figure important an Smith, Tony sculptor and painter,
artistic milieu of her parents, opera singer Jane Lawrence and architect, architect, and Lawrence Jane singer opera parents, her of milieu artistic Kiki Smith’s childhood in New Jersey was shaped by the intellectual and and intellectual the by shaped was Jersey New in childhood Smith’s Kiki Courtesy the Artist and Pace Gallery. Pace and Artist the Courtesy Smith Kiki
Untitled (Daughter) , Untitled
animals between connection the portrays continually Smith environment.
visual and material solidarity with marginalised beings and the natural natural the and beings marginalised with solidarity material and visual
a through expressed equally is work artist’s the of urgency political The
culture. research renowned Oxford’s of context science and arts the with
parallel interesting an creates particular, in printmaking media, of variety The interdisciplinary and collaborative spirit of Smith’s work across a rich rich a across work Smith’s of spirit collaborative and interdisciplinary The
, 1999. , 1999.
of forms and materials. and forms of
hybrid creatures, animals of all kinds, plants and heavenly bodies in a variety variety a in bodies heavenly and plants kinds, all of animals creatures, hybrid
time and space, foreign as well as familiar ones: female figures in particular, particular, in figures female ones: familiar as well as foreign space, and time
Kiki Smith unfurls an entire world populated by beings of different cultures in in cultures different of beings by populated world entire an unfurls Smith Kiki
perfect host for an exhibition so rich in storytelling and mythology, in which which in mythology, and storytelling in rich so exhibition an for host perfect
exemplified by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. The city is the the is city The Carroll. Lewis and Tolkien J.R.R. Lewis, C.S. by exemplified
historic museum collections and strong tradition of fantastical literature, literature, fantastical of tradition strong and collections museum historic
with the artist, and in dialogue with the city of Oxford, its medieval heritage, heritage, medieval its Oxford, of city the with dialogue in and artist, the with
collaboration close in generated was works of selection exhibition’s This
the survival of both, and the planet as a whole. a as planet the and both, of survival the
– Kiki Smith, 1997 Smith, Kiki –
us that it is mutual respect between humanity and nature that will secure secure will that nature and humanity between respect mutual is it that us
direction." that environmentalist, Smith communicates through art and beauty to remind remind to beauty and art through communicates Smith environmentalist,
from images that catch my attention.’ In the manner of a subtle, poetic poetic subtle, a of manner the In attention.’ my catch that images from that certain materials interest you, and you go in in go you and you, interest materials certain that
attached to our relationship with our habitat and animals. I make things things make I animals. and habitat our with relationship our to attached
But that’s only in retrospect. At the time it’s more more it’s time the At retrospect. in only that’s But
are interdependent with the natural world... our identity is completely is identity our world... natural the with interdependent are
to bodies to the religious body to cosmologies [...] [...] cosmologies to body religious the to bodies to
comes to life, to convey a sincere and timely message. Smith says: ‘We says: Smith message. timely and sincere a convey to life, to comes
– I went from the microscopic organs to systems systems to organs microscopic the from went I –
protection. Her modern ‘bestiary’ (a medieval compendium of beasts) beasts) of compendium medieval (a ‘bestiary’ modern Her protection.
"I do see a path of subject matter in my work work my in matter subject of path a see do "I
and humans in new configurations, emphasising friendship, survival, and and survival, friendship, emphasising configurations, new in humans and "The first works are based on the facets of the body, then I become more overt about languages of craft and decorative arts." – Kiki Smith, 1997
content and meaning, on existential questions and answers in direct response to the world. The artist investigates the human body without fear of taboos, humiliation, or the constraints of shame, engaging with the human condition.
Her works tackle the subjects of age, dying and death, pain and healing, reanimation, wholeness and fragmentation, birth, sexuality, gender, identity and memory, as well as the ecological crisis of the planet. In the early 1990s, Smith began to incorporate history, mythology, legends and fairy tales into her work as well as elements of religion.
Her first sculptures were dedicated to parts of the body such as disembodied arms and fingers. By the mid-1980s, the artist seemed to dissect the entire human anatomy (using knowledge from training as an Emergency Medical Technician alongside her sister Beatrice in 1985), first drawing individual organs and then casting sculptures of them in bronze. She later returns to a focus on the body’s outer appearance, initially through soft materials such as gampi paper in 1987, and finally reproduces the human figure in its entirety in a life-size sculpture made of beeswax in 1991. Some of these full-scale wax sculptures from the 1990s are captured by Smith’s photography in her studio. Their perspectives and extreme close-ups render the sculptures’ status as objects or people uncertain. The blurry depths of field and other snapshot-like visual markers indicate Smith’s investigative use of photography to interrogate the afterlives of her sculptural practice.
In the Middle Galleries we encounter a Wünderkammer, ‘a cabinet of curiosities’ containing a myriad of forms and materials, both human and animal. The artist began making these multiples (limited series of identical objects, often cast) around 1980. Compelling evocations of the body – often dissected or disembodied – can be seen in this abundance of Kiki Smith’s material experimentation, from bronze, plaster, glass and porcelain to papier mâché, resin, cast silver and gold leaf – demonstrating her constant curiosity. A collection of hybrid creatures and natural phenomena are also displayed including a glass frog, a porcelain dead cat, a silver shooting star and a bat cast in bronze with piercing ruby eyes. , 2012. Jacquard, 2012. tapestry © Kiki Smith. Courtesy Timothy London/New Taylor, and Magnolia York Editions. ‘I am a wanderer,’ Kiki Smith says. And indeed, she is a wanderer through time , 2000. Published by Universal Limited Art Editions. © Kiki Smith and Universal Limited Art Editions. , Sky and space, making ‘contact’ on a decades-long imaginary journey that takes her through foreign cultures. With the wanderlust of a cultural anthropologist she roams through lands and historical epochs, collecting and preserving the heritage of our collective memory. The artist herself speaks of the possibilities of ‘resurrection’ and ‘regeneration’, creating visions of beauty, reconciliation Pool of Tears II , Pool Tears of and hope in a dystopian world, communicating both poetic sensibility and appeal for action. Kiki Smith:
Cover images: Kiki Smith Kiki Smith Imagecourtesy of Universal Limited Art Editions. This exhibition is curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz. I am a Wanderer
sexual identity and social gender, and feminist activism. She focuses on on focuses She activism. feminist and gender, social and identity sexual Gallery. Pace and Artist the courtesy Tom by Barratt, Photograph Smith Kiki
cultural changes of this time, as shaped by the AIDS crisis, discourse on on discourse crisis, AIDS the by shaped as time, this of changes cultural Smith’s early artworks were influenced by the incredible political, social and and social political, incredible the by influenced were artworks early Smith’s
, Crashed Bat
bodies in an effort to find a language for my own discomfort and anxiety.’ anxiety.’ and discomfort own my for language a find to effort an in bodies
and overt military aggression in Central America. I began using images of of images using began I America. Central in aggression military overt and
covert States’ United the of time the also but roll, and rock and drugs sex, 1976. The late 1970s and 80s was a moment of romantic enthrallment with with enthrallment romantic of moment a was 80s and 1970s late The 1976.
, 1998. Courtesy Pace Gallery. Gallery. Pace Courtesy , 1998. As the artist explains: ‘I moved to the Lower East Side of New York City in in City York New of Side East Lower the to moved ‘I explains: artist the As
experiences. everyday and life daily from derived always has inspiration Her
states such as fear, dissonance and trauma. trauma. and dissonance fear, as such states
context, and pathos, in Kiki Smith’s art feelings come to the fore: emotional emotional fore: the to come feelings art Smith’s Kiki in pathos, and context,
the asceticism of the materials, and the banishment of emotion, historical historical emotion, of banishment the and materials, the of asceticism the
and Minimalism. Instead of the Minimal emphasis on the reduction of forms, forms, of reduction the on emphasis Minimal the of Instead Minimalism. and
painter, and sculptor Tony Smith, an important figure of Abstract Expressionism Expressionism Abstract of figure important an Smith, Tony sculptor and painter,
artistic milieu of her parents, opera singer Jane Lawrence and architect, architect, and Lawrence Jane singer opera parents, her of milieu artistic Kiki Smith’s childhood in New Jersey was shaped by the intellectual and and intellectual the by shaped was Jersey New in childhood Smith’s Kiki Courtesy the Artist and Pace Gallery. Pace and Artist the Courtesy Smith Kiki
Untitled (Daughter) , Untitled
animals between connection the portrays continually Smith environment.
visual and material solidarity with marginalised beings and the natural natural the and beings marginalised with solidarity material and visual
a through expressed equally is work artist’s the of urgency political The
culture. research renowned Oxford’s of context science and arts the with
parallel interesting an creates particular, in printmaking media, of variety The interdisciplinary and collaborative spirit of Smith’s work across a rich rich a across work Smith’s of spirit collaborative and interdisciplinary The
, 1999. , 1999.
of forms and materials. and forms of
hybrid creatures, animals of all kinds, plants and heavenly bodies in a variety variety a in bodies heavenly and plants kinds, all of animals creatures, hybrid
time and space, foreign as well as familiar ones: female figures in particular, particular, in figures female ones: familiar as well as foreign space, and time
Kiki Smith unfurls an entire world populated by beings of different cultures in in cultures different of beings by populated world entire an unfurls Smith Kiki
perfect host for an exhibition so rich in storytelling and mythology, in which which in mythology, and storytelling in rich so exhibition an for host perfect
exemplified by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. The city is the the is city The Carroll. Lewis and Tolkien J.R.R. Lewis, C.S. by exemplified
historic museum collections and strong tradition of fantastical literature, literature, fantastical of tradition strong and collections museum historic
with the artist, and in dialogue with the city of Oxford, its medieval heritage, heritage, medieval its Oxford, of city the with dialogue in and artist, the with
collaboration close in generated was works of selection exhibition’s This
the survival of both, and the planet as a whole. a as planet the and both, of survival the
– Kiki Smith, 1997 Smith, Kiki –
us that it is mutual respect between humanity and nature that will secure secure will that nature and humanity between respect mutual is it that us
direction." that environmentalist, Smith communicates through art and beauty to remind remind to beauty and art through communicates Smith environmentalist,
from images that catch my attention.’ In the manner of a subtle, poetic poetic subtle, a of manner the In attention.’ my catch that images from that certain materials interest you, and you go in in go you and you, interest materials certain that
attached to our relationship with our habitat and animals. I make things things make I animals. and habitat our with relationship our to attached
But that’s only in retrospect. At the time it’s more more it’s time the At retrospect. in only that’s But
are interdependent with the natural world... our identity is completely is identity our world... natural the with interdependent are
to bodies to the religious body to cosmologies [...] [...] cosmologies to body religious the to bodies to
comes to life, to convey a sincere and timely message. Smith says: ‘We says: Smith message. timely and sincere a convey to life, to comes
– I went from the microscopic organs to systems systems to organs microscopic the from went I –
protection. Her modern ‘bestiary’ (a medieval compendium of beasts) beasts) of compendium medieval (a ‘bestiary’ modern Her protection.
"I do see a path of subject matter in my work work my in matter subject of path a see do "I
and humans in new configurations, emphasising friendship, survival, and and survival, friendship, emphasising configurations, new in humans and "The first works are based on the facets of the body, then I become more overt about languages of craft and decorative arts." – Kiki Smith, 1997
content and meaning, on existential questions and answers in direct response to the world. The artist investigates the human body without fear of taboos, humiliation, or the constraints of shame, engaging with the human condition.
Her works tackle the subjects of age, dying and death, pain and healing, reanimation, wholeness and fragmentation, birth, sexuality, gender, identity and memory, as well as the ecological crisis of the planet. In the early 1990s, Smith began to incorporate history, mythology, legends and fairy tales into her work as well as elements of religion.
Her first sculptures were dedicated to parts of the body such as disembodied arms and fingers. By the mid-1980s, the artist seemed to dissect the entire human anatomy (using knowledge from training as an Emergency Medical Technician alongside her sister Beatrice in 1985), first drawing individual organs and then casting sculptures of them in bronze. She later returns to a focus on the body’s outer appearance, initially through soft materials such as gampi paper in 1987, and finally reproduces the human figure in its entirety in a life-size sculpture made of beeswax in 1991. Some of these full-scale wax sculptures from the 1990s are captured by Smith’s photography in her studio. Their perspectives and extreme close-ups render the sculptures’ status as objects or people uncertain. The blurry depths of field and other snapshot-like visual markers indicate Smith’s investigative use of photography to interrogate the afterlives of her sculptural practice.
In the Middle Galleries we encounter a Wünderkammer, ‘a cabinet of curiosities’ containing a myriad of forms and materials, both human and animal. The artist began making these multiples (limited series of identical objects, often cast) around 1980. Compelling evocations of the body – often dissected or disembodied – can be seen in this abundance of Kiki Smith’s material experimentation, from bronze, plaster, glass and porcelain to papier mâché, resin, cast silver and gold leaf – demonstrating her constant curiosity. A collection of hybrid creatures and natural phenomena are also displayed including a glass frog, a porcelain dead cat, a silver shooting star and a bat cast in bronze with piercing ruby eyes. , 2012. Jacquard, 2012. tapestry © Kiki Smith. Courtesy Timothy London/New Taylor, and Magnolia York Editions. ‘I am a wanderer,’ Kiki Smith says. And indeed, she is a wanderer through time , 2000. Published by Universal Limited Art Editions. © Kiki Smith and Universal Limited Art Editions. , Sky and space, making ‘contact’ on a decades-long imaginary journey that takes her through foreign cultures. With the wanderlust of a cultural anthropologist she roams through lands and historical epochs, collecting and preserving the heritage of our collective memory. The artist herself speaks of the possibilities of ‘resurrection’ and ‘regeneration’, creating visions of beauty, reconciliation Pool of Tears II , Pool Tears of and hope in a dystopian world, communicating both poetic sensibility and appeal for action. Kiki Smith:
Imagecourtesy of Universal Limited Art Editions. Cover images: Kiki Smith
Kiki Smith This exhibition is curated by Petra Giloy-Hirtz. I am a Wanderer
sexual identity and social gender, and feminist activism. She focuses on on focuses She activism. feminist and gender, social and identity sexual Gallery. Pace and Artist the courtesy Tom by Barratt, Photograph Smith Kiki
cultural changes of this time, as shaped by the AIDS crisis, discourse on on discourse crisis, AIDS the by shaped as time, this of changes cultural Smith’s early artworks were influenced by the incredible political, social and and social political, incredible the by influenced were artworks early Smith’s
, Crashed Bat
bodies in an effort to find a language for my own discomfort and anxiety.’ anxiety.’ and discomfort own my for language a find to effort an in bodies
and overt military aggression in Central America. I began using images of of images using began I America. Central in aggression military overt and
sex, drugs and rock and roll, but also the time of the United States’ covert covert States’ United the of time the also but roll, and rock and drugs sex,
1976. The late 1970s and 80s was a moment of romantic enthrallment with with enthrallment romantic of moment a was 80s and 1970s late The 1976.
, 1998. Courtesy Pace Gallery. Gallery. Pace Courtesy , 1998. As the artist explains: ‘I moved to the Lower East Side of New York City in in City York New of Side East Lower the to moved ‘I explains: artist the As
Her inspiration has always derived from daily life and everyday experiences. experiences. everyday and life daily from derived always has inspiration Her
states such as fear, dissonance and trauma. trauma. and dissonance fear, as such states
context, and pathos, in Kiki Smith’s art feelings come to the fore: emotional emotional fore: the to come feelings art Smith’s Kiki in pathos, and context,
the asceticism of the materials, and the banishment of emotion, historical historical emotion, of banishment the and materials, the of asceticism the
and Minimalism. Instead of the Minimal emphasis on the reduction of forms, forms, of reduction the on emphasis Minimal the of Instead Minimalism. and
painter, and sculptor Tony Smith, an important figure of Abstract Expressionism Expressionism Abstract of figure important an Smith, Tony sculptor and painter,
artistic milieu of her parents, opera singer Jane Lawrence and architect, architect, and Lawrence Jane singer opera parents, her of milieu artistic Kiki Smith’s childhood in New Jersey was shaped by the intellectual and and intellectual the by shaped was Jersey New in childhood Smith’s Kiki Courtesy the Artist and Pace Gallery. Pace and Artist the Courtesy Smith Kiki
Untitled (Daughter) , Untitled
animals between connection the portrays continually Smith environment.
visual and material solidarity with marginalised beings and the natural natural the and beings marginalised with solidarity material and visual
a through expressed equally is work artist’s the of urgency political The
culture. research renowned Oxford’s of context science and arts the with
parallel interesting an creates particular, in printmaking media, of variety The interdisciplinary and collaborative spirit of Smith’s work across a rich rich a across work Smith’s of spirit collaborative and interdisciplinary The
, 1999. , 1999.
of forms and materials. and forms of
variety a in bodies heavenly and plants kinds, all of animals creatures, hybrid
time and space, foreign as well as familiar ones: female figures in particular, particular, in figures female ones: familiar as well as foreign space, and time
Kiki Smith unfurls an entire world populated by beings of different cultures in in cultures different of beings by populated world entire an unfurls Smith Kiki
perfect host for an exhibition so rich in storytelling and mythology, in which which in mythology, and storytelling in rich so exhibition an for host perfect
exemplified by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. The city is the the is city The Carroll. Lewis and Tolkien J.R.R. Lewis, C.S. by exemplified
historic museum collections and strong tradition of fantastical literature, literature, fantastical of tradition strong and collections museum historic
with the artist, and in dialogue with the city of Oxford, its medieval heritage, heritage, medieval its Oxford, of city the with dialogue in and artist, the with
collaboration close in generated was works of selection exhibition’s This
the survival of both, and the planet as a whole. a as planet the and both, of survival the
– Kiki Smith, 1997 Smith, Kiki –
secure will that nature and humanity between respect mutual is it that us
direction." that remind to beauty and art through communicates Smith environmentalist,
from images that catch my attention.’ In the manner of a subtle, poetic poetic subtle, a of manner the In attention.’ my catch that images from that certain materials interest you, and you go in in go you and you, interest materials certain that
things make I animals. and habitat our with relationship our to attached
But that’s only in retrospect. At the time it’s more more it’s time the At retrospect. in only that’s But
completely is identity our world... natural the with interdependent are
[...] cosmologies to body religious the to bodies to
‘We says: Smith message. timely and sincere a convey to life, to comes
systems to organs microscopic the from went I – beasts) of compendium medieval (a ‘bestiary’ modern Her protection.
work my in matter subject of path a see do "I and humans in new configurations, emphasising friendship, survival, and and survival, friendship, emphasising configurations, new in humans and