1 of 7 etchings in Porfolio: White Mammals 1998

Curator: This etching by Kiki Smith is titled "1 of 7 etchings in Porfolio: White Mammals." It’s part of a series, and with dimensions around 79 by 56 centimeters, it has a presence despite its delicate subject. Editor: It's haunting, almost spectral. The lone rodent figure seems suspended in an expanse of white—vulnerable, isolated. Is it meant to evoke fragility? Curator: Smith often explores the body and its vulnerabilities. The "White Mammals" series, created in the late 20th century, can be seen as a comment on societal attitudes towards both the animal and the female body. Editor: Right, the 'white' could signal purity or clinical detachment. The rat, an often vilified creature, becomes a symbol. Is she challenging our perceptions of the grotesque and the sacred? Curator: Precisely. Smith uses these potent symbols to challenge the cultural narratives surrounding the body and its perceived flaws. It’s a statement on marginalization. Editor: Fascinating. It makes you consider the cultural weight we assign to the simplest of forms. Curator: Absolutely, and how art can be a powerful means of questioning those very assumptions.