Kiki Smith “Sojourn” & "The Dinner Party" Exhibition @ Brooklyn Museum

SR’s Chante had the pleasure of checking out the new installation by artist, Kiki Smith, in the Elizabeth Sackler Center for the Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum (ends September 12, 2010). In this exhibition Kiki draws on a variety of universal experiences, from the milestones of birth and death to quotidian experiences such as the daily chores of domestic life in a range of media, including unique sculpture, cast objects, collage, drawing, and photography. SR’s found this display by Kiki to be a series of eye catching pieces that you need to look at more than once with each time noticing something different. There were a few pieces that stood out in the gallery: “Messenger I” is a collage of aluminum sticks, silver stars and a gold bird perched with wings out ready to take off; “Quickening” is a drawing on Nepal paper of two (almost identical) pregnant women sitting barefoot holding their stomachs; and “Sisters” is an ink colored pencil mica and glitter drawing on Nepal paper of two women laying on a bed covered with a quilt both looking sullen and one has her eyes completely shut. There is so many interpretations of Kiki’s work from symbolizing the oppression of women in different time periods to overcoming opposition by women releasing themselves from its confines.



The most exciting display of this gallery was Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party" (long-term) installation adjacent to Kiki's exhibit. When I entered, I was floored by the uniquely decorated triangle shaped dinner table that seats 39 of the most powerful women that have influenced the artist. The shape of the table represents equality of all women that would be seated at the historic table and those written on the marble that the table rests on. Each place setting is completely different from one another symbolizing each individual woman. She pays homage so many women (e.g., Sojourner Truth, Queen Elizabeth) that personify strength, passion, leadership, beauty and compassion. Such as awesome highlight of the exhibition!!



More Info on these Exhibitions :: www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions