Wong Sin Yi, Stacie talks on Bunny by Kiki Smith

Kiki Smith, Bunny (1997), Etching on Nepalese paper

 Kiki Smith, Contemporary American artist

What is the subject matter or general theme of the work?

A drawing of a bunny

What is the purpose of the drawing?

Smith produces images of nature, such as insects, animals as well as cosmos since she is fascinated by the interesting connection between human and nature (especially human and animals) and the attribution of all beings in the world. Smith said “I found this anthropomorphizing of animals interesting: the human attributes we give to animals, and the animal attributes we take on as humans to construct our identity. I’m trying to think about this relationship between nature and human nature, their different objects.(1)”

The piece reveals a strong association between animal instincts and human nature. In the drawing a bunny is used to symbolize the feminine fragility and menstruation. In fact the anthropomorphism of a rabbit can be ambiguous: it tends to be in feminine form that signifies fertility and rebirth since the animal is associated with the earth which is the common metaphor for a mother giving birth(2); it also represents a craven because of the timid trait of the animal(3). The faded rose ground stands for menstrual blood(4). In the period, women who experience some uterine pain may feel week and depressed associated with menstruation. Regarding its fertility, shyness and fragility in the drawing, Smith subjectively inclines to present the traditional or stereotyped gender role: the fragility in women.

How is line used? What does it do/express?

The unhealthiness is expressed by the lines. Depicted by curved, thin and scattered lines the bunny appears to be having sparse hair or suffering from hair loss due to the lack of nutrition. It’s contrary to a sense of robustness and firmness expressed by thick, bushy and bold lines.

What can you say about shape and /or form in this picture? What is the effect?

The bunny looks exhausted and fragile, inclining its body forward and can barely hold its thin and elongated limbs. The fragility of the animal is shown by the thin curved lines which make its form soft and boneless. Because of the elongated and boneless body it is exaggerated that cannot be identical to an average rabbit.

The bunny also resembles a spirit or soul. The whiteness and sparseness of lines show the translucent quality on the body of the bunny which seems light, ghostly and wispy with little sense of weight and strength. It can be interpreted as a dying animal because the ghostlike appearance may be associated with its fragility.

Formed by the scattered lines the face of the bunny is unclear and its eyes are hardly seen. It is likely to be a sick ugly animal which is different to a healthy one with cute bright eyes and smooth bushy fur. With the sad and unenthusiastic facial expression of the bunny its frailness and fragility are underscored.

Is texture a feature of the drawing?

Yes! It’s the main feature of the drawing. The texture of the unhealthy bunny’s hair is presented by the use of curved, thin and sparse lines.

What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
A contrast between the form and the plain ground is strongly created  to emphasize the difference between the two. The cluster of lines is put against the emptiness of space not only to draw attention to the subject, but also to the intimate relationship between the subject and the space. The composition of the drawing is similar to the Chinese traditional paintings’ which emphasis on the subjects and conveys a strong sense of imagination by leaving a large portion of the space blank besides the figures in the picture, for instance, the bamboo paintings of literati painting tradition(Fig. 1). The faded rose ground, combined with the fragile and boneless appearance of the bunny  which signifies the feminine fragility and timidity, is left to invite viewers to observe the drawing from different perspectives and to imagine what’s in that portion of area.

(Fig. 1) Wu Zhen Ink Bamboo

Is the picture balanced? Explain.
Yes, it’s balanced. It seems that the picture simply centers on the bunch of white lines as well as the hairy texture and soft structure of the bunny, but the emptiness of the faded rose ground also plays an important role in the composition as a whole regarding its imaginative quality. Thus, the above elements are evenly distributed and structured.


Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
There is no certain rule of perspective used in the drawing since the ground is left blank. Because of the empty area, the space in the picture is ambiguous in which the subject can be observed from different angles without boundaries.


Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
No, it’s not a harmonious picture since there is an apparent contrast between the detailed form and the vacuumed space which have little correspondence to one another.


What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.
The melancholic and lonely mood is created by the combination of the bunny’s facial expression, pose and the ground color. As the faded rose ground suggests the feminine fragility during menstrual period that women are physically subject to the process, the dim old color also conveys a gloomy atmosphere and a feeling of faded youth because of the absence of bright and colorful elements which make one feel old and depressed. Bounded up with the dim ground, the moodiness of the unenthusiastic facial expression of the bunny and the fragility of its thin unhealthy hair and boneless wispy body is stressed. Besides that, there is a strong sense of loneliness conveyed by the emptiness of the ground in which the bunny stands still without companions. Thus it symbolizes a lone soul who is isolated and neglected.


What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above.
It is an allegorical and feminist drawing expressing negative emotions in women utilizing various symbols associated with animals. The feminine fragility and melancholy are signified by the signs of the bunny itself, of the faded rose ground, of the thin sparse white lines, of the translucent elongated form and the moody facial expression. It’s a rather personal and subjective interpretation of the animal because of its exaggerated and little realistic form and color. Thus it’s an imaginative, original and anthropomorphic bunny created by Smith to reflect human nature.


Choose adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusion in terms of specific features and qualities of the drawing.
It’s expressive! The depressive, weak and lonely feelings are conveyed by the creative use of lines, shape, color and space. The unhealthy and fragility in women expressed by the sparseness and scatter of the hair and the softness of the inclined body is convincing and perceivable. Although the elements are exaggeratedly presented, we can still identify with the feelings and associate them with our own experience and memories because it's human nature having those negative emotions.

It’s imaginative! Regarding the vacuumed space, it offers viewers a room for imagination. Besides that, the translucent and hazy appearance of the bunny which resemblances a spirit creates a sense of illusion and fantasy. The human emotions expressed in the imaginative or dreamy sense maybe closely associated with human’s subconscious mind like dreams.


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(1) Wendy Weitman, Kiki Smith Prints, Books and Things (The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2003), 98.

(2) Udo Becker, The Continuum Encyclopedia of Symbols (Continuum N.Y London, 2000), 138.

(3) Ibid., 138.

(4) Ibid. 1, at 30.