Seer (Alice II) 2005

Kiki Smith created 'Seer (Alice II)' and left us to wonder when! It’s a bronze sculpture, so it all started with clay, molded in Smith’s hands I imagine, then cast in metal. It’s such a process-oriented medium, with so many steps! The surface is what gets me here – all bumpy and crusty, like it’s been dug up from the earth. Look at the tiny marks, like worm casts on the skin of the dress. It’s rough, not smooth, and the color is uneven, dark and light together. It makes it feel old, and very present at the same time. The way the arms are posed, slightly away from the body, feels like she’s sensing something, or maybe about to fall. Smith’s work often deals with the body, both its beauty and its fragility. Artists like Louise Bourgeois, who also used the body as a central theme, come to mind. Ultimately it’s about feeling, and leaving space for multiple readings.