Crystals 2000

Curator: Here we have Kiki Smith's "Crystals," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It's an etching, and what strikes me is its delicate precision. Editor: It's beautiful, like a relic from another world. It looks like a child's drawing but at the same time a kind of monument. Curator: Smith often explores the body and natural forms. This piece, I think, reflects a broader interest in the relationship between the human and the mineral. Crystals are powerful symbols across cultures. Editor: Right, it's like she's tracing energy, or mapping some kind of vibration. You can almost hear it humming. I like how it's both earthy and otherworldly, if that makes sense. Curator: Absolutely. It speaks to our search for meaning in the natural world. Editor: It’s a reminder that things we find in nature can be art. Curator: For me, it highlights how art museums give value and context to all forms of expression. Editor: For me, it is the value, context, and potential for expression of seemingly mundane objects that inspires me.