German-born American artist Kiki Smith explores mortality, sex, and the body using a range of media. Her canvases and sculptures evoke a surrealist mood, often featuring human figures or animals in strange, dreamlike settings.

Smith was born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1954. Her family moved to the United States when she was an infant. Smith’s parents encouraged her to pursue art, and she attended the Hartford Art School in Connecticut. She moved to New York City in 1976 and immersed herself in the city’s creative scene.

Smith’s work has appeared at many prominent museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She lives in New York City.