Seer (Alice II) 2005

Here's Kiki Smith's 'Seer (Alice II)', a sculpture that looks like it's been hewn from the earth itself. I imagine her coaxing this form into being, responding to the clay's own will. What must it have been like for Smith, fingers deep in the material, conjuring this figure? There’s a sense of touch, a primal connection to the earth. The sculpture feels solid, grounded, but there's also a fragility, a kind of searching in the figure’s downward gaze. I’m thinking of other artists who work with the figure, like Louise Bourgeois, who also explored themes of vulnerability. But Smith's work feels distinct, more attuned to the raw, untamed aspects of the human condition. Like paint, clay is a medium that remembers every touch, every decision. And here, in 'Seer (Alice II)', it speaks volumes. It reminds me that art is an ongoing exchange, a conversation that transcends time and connects us to something larger than ourselves.