Tidal

Artist: Kiki Smith
Title of Work: Tidal
Year: 1991
Book Dimensions: 19 1/2″ x 126 1/4,” 10 1/4″ x 9 11/16″ boxed 
Material: Book of accordion-folded photogravure on mold-made Hahnemühle paper and attached photolilthograph on handmade Japanese paper
Photo Line: Courtesy LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, Columbia University
Collection Credit: Neiman Center for Print Studies, Columbia University

Both Tidal and Moon Three reference the rhythms of nature.  These images draw upon Smith’s interest in celestial forms.  Tidal shows thirteen moons above the ocean.  Using images taken at the Columbia University astronomical observatory Smith shows many distinctly different images of the same object.  Moon Three repeats images of the moon shown in varying degrees of clarity.  Smith’s interest in the lunar cycle may be tied to the ancient theory that women’s menstrual cycles were related to lunar cycles.  The lunar effect is a theory that states there is a correlation between the lunar cycle and deviant behavior.  The word lunatic is derived from the Latin word for moon, “luna.”

–Sophia Yablon ’12, Gund Gallery Associate