Kiki Smith

Kiki Smith was born in 1954 in Nuremberg, Germany to an American family. The artist works in several media, both in two- and three-dimensional sculpture, printmaking and drawing. In her works, Smith always tried to createan intimate atmosphere, frequentlylinking them to feminism or female art. Smith grew up in New Jersey and California, studied in Connecticut at Hartford Art School (focusing on film). After graduating, Smith moved to New York, where she joined Colab (aka Collaborative Projects), an artists’ initiative focused on interdisciplinary exchange and unconventional exhibition practices. As a member, she was included at the famous “Times Square Show”, alongside artists such as Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Kenny Scharf. With this exhibition, Smith gained international recognition and was able to to a first solo show at The Kitchen in 1982. Increasing critical acclaim led to her participation in numerous biennials during the 1990s. In addition, some of her other landmark exhibitions include the most important survey shows on female art, for example “elles@centrepompidou”, or “Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography” in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (both 2010). On the long list of collections Smith is included in, one can highlight the Art Institute of Chicago, the New York’s MET, MoMA, Guggenheim and Whitney Museum, Tate in London or the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Kiki Smith continues to present her work all around the world. Such as recently at the Berggruen gallery in California, USA (2023), the GDM in Paris (2023), and at the Kentler international drawing space in New York, USA (2023).