1st State Self Portrait, 1993

Acclaimed for her unflinching exploration and interpretation of mortality and the human body, Kiki Smith is an artist whose work often engenders the spirit of Feminism. Among Smith’s most notable works is her Virgin Mary sculpture, an almost life-size wax depiction of the venerated Christian figure; displayed without skin – with the exception of her head, breasts, hands and genitalia – the figure is not anatomically discernable from that of any other female figure and Smith is confronting the viewer with the question of: was Mary simply human, or is the female body sacred? As a member of the Colab artist collective, Smith was inspired by their radical use of unconventional materials and political leanings, printing numerous posters throughout the early 1980’s containing political statements; Smith has also worked with tapestries, noting that they give her the opportunity to create on a larger scale and work with a wider range of colour.