Figurative Work by Kollwitz

The piece above has excellent scratching techniques and I know this is why Prof. Petry chose this artist for me.  The composition shows hardship and middle-age in the person above.

Now, this piece above I'm not too sure of. I do like how the small figure on the bottom left is the brightest figure because it is the main focus, then leading the eye to search for the other two figures.  Yet, the two figures in the back are not as defined as the young figure and give a sense of lack of importance (maybe?) and they show possible age.  The small figure shows hunger and poverty, as it is holding a spoon in their hand.

This is probably one of my favorite pieces by Kathe Kollwitz.  To me, it expresses the struggles females go through.  It appears as if the women has tension between death and youth.  I'm not sure if the skeleton represents her death or a death of a child?  But there is a child in front of her, reaching for affection... and perhaps the "mother" does not want to be apart of anyone's lives.

At first I couldn't recognize what this piece was, I knew it would be some form of a human figure but after carefully looking at it I recognize it is a mother, holding a child.  The picture is vary vague and I don't know if it was intentional or if the photo is of poor quality. 

Kiki Smith... More Work Revealed

Here is a picture of Kiki Smith, I figured I would show a picture of what she actually looks like.  I think it is important to see what artists look like because if you view a piece of one's work you imagine them to look completely different than what they actually do, and I find it really interesting how their looks may or may not reveal in their work.

This is Untitled (Hanging Woman) by Kiki Smith from 1992.  This piece sort of reminds of Professor Petry's work (when she gave a demo for Art Club earlier in the semester) because she would somehow incorporate a human figure.  I like this piece because it is creepy and you are not sure what was going through the artist's head at the time.  I personally think, going along Smith's "Body Artists," that this relates with female sexual difference and the possible burdens and stereotypes women feel throughout their life.