This print of a bird in a tree is full of rich textures and subtle colors. Although the subject and title both evoke symbolism, the composition rests somewhere between a visual omen and a work of careful observation. Kiki Smith works in an expansive range of mediums and employs diverse materials to examine elemental forces on the human condition, such as sex, death, regeneration and the natural world. Over the years, Smith’s motifs have included animals, female figures and celestial bodies.

Of her fascination with the human figure, Smith says: “I always think the whole history of the world is in your body.”