Sparsely Hung and Delicately Crafted
“Kiki Smith,” Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston, MA
A whisper of a show, Kiki Smith’s delicately crafted monoprints support her intricate and weighted sculptures.
Installation view of Kiki Smith, Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston, 2020, Image from: www.krakowwitkingallery.com
Kiki Smith presents several monoprints hung sparingly, softly surrounding her sculptures. She continues to play with the idea of the “prefab,” incorporating mark-making through stamps. Some monoprints build on the last, with subtle manipulation of the stamp, both pre and post printing process. Moving from one print to the next, the eye begins to pick up on intricacies; Smith carefully places single pieces of glitter through her monoprints. On others, she seems to haphazardly sprinkle the glitter, letting it stick where it sticks. This push and pull between a carefully manipulated execution and a laissez faire process mirrors the obvious contrasts between the works on paper and the sculptures. Smith’s works on paper are more air than material. Her sculptures, however, are intricately carved and carry an eerie sense of weight and flight. The architecture of the gallery space encourages these sculptures to take flight around the room, entering and exiting the open space of Smith’s drawings.
In a time of digital saturation and content-heavy figurative art, Smith’s work offers a moment to breath, and a disinterest in the narrative. Her work confronts us with small marks and humble gestures, letting us come and go as we please, without the pressure to stay.