South likes: Kiki Smith at Galeria Continua, San Gimignano

South likes: Kiki Smith at Galeria Continua, San Gimignano
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Galeria Continua, San Gimignano, Italy
31 May – 30 August, 2014

Text by Angeliki Roussou

In 2007, German-born American artist Kiki Smith stated that she missed ‘radicality’. Classified as feminist, ex member of the artist group Colab and concerned with issues of gender and race, the notable artist seems to sigh for something vibrant that was probably in the air in the period of her early work. At the same time, her past indicates deep esoteric explorations, largely in the paths of religion and spiritualism, that ultimately shaped her personal cultural understanding. Her show at Galleria Continua in San Gimignano hovers between memories of a past ‘radicality’ and esoteric, mystical sensation. Her bronze sculptures and tapestries merge with Arco dei Becci’s historic interiors, which are in public view for the first time. Figuration is mostly at play including moments of appropriated mythology and spiritualism. The show’s highlight is the garden that hosts her newly made bronze fountain. Radicality is really about returning to the roots of things and as an artistic method it can certainly be a non-explicit or non-extrovert process.

http://www.galleriacontinua.com/english/mostra.html?id_mostra=275