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Lying with the WolfLying with the Wolf © The Artist/Courtesy of the Pace Gallery

Lying with the Wolf

Kiki Smith. 2001 C.E. Ink and pencil on paper

Curator Note

"A large drawing on crinkled paper depicting a naked woman lying affectionately with a wolf. Unlike the traditional Little Red Riding Hood story where the wolf is a predator, here they are equals and companions. Smith explores the primal connection between humans and nature, reclaiming the female body from sexualization and placing it in a mythic, spiritual context."

Form

  • Large-scale drawing on crumpled, textured Nepalese paper.
  • Delicate, linear style resembling a sketch or doodle.
  • Use of ink and pencil creates a soft, intimate atmosphere.
  • The paper acts as a "skin", fragile and tactile.
  • Figure and wolf are intertwined, sharing the same visual weight.

Function

  • To reimagine traditional fairy tales and myths from a feminist perspective.
  • To suggest a harmonious, non-hierarchical relationship with nature.
  • To depict the female body as strong, nurturing, and wild, not just an object.
  • To evoke a sense of vulnerability and tenderness.
  • To explore the boundary between the human and the animal.

Content

  • The woman (possibly St. Genevieve or Little Red Riding Hood) creates a bond with the beast.
  • The wolf: traditionally a symbol of danger/male aggression, here tamed/domesticated.
  • Nudity implies primal innocence rather than eroticism.
  • Absence of background focuses entirely on the relationship.
  • The act of "lying with" suggests intimacy and trust.

Context

  • Smith is known for her focus on the human body and bodily fluids (abject art).
  • Shifted interest in the 1990s to mythology and the natural world.
  • Feminist revision of folklore (reclaiming the "victim" role).
  • Influenced by her father, minimalist sculptor Tony Smith, but chose a more handmade style.
  • Part of a return to figuration and narrative in contemporary art.