This book documents the artist Kiki Smith’s first major career survey. Her work frequently references the human body, which is echoed directly on the cover with a self-portrait made using the artist’s hair, and on the endpapers with thermographic replicas of the artist’s arm tattoos. Indirectly, the book is conceived as an object with its own material body, reflected in the edge painting that enhances its objectlike status, and the soft tonality of the paper that communicates the warmth and fleshiness of the work. The mix of classical and modern typography mirrors the artist’s interest in the historical and contemporary aspects of religion and science.

The essays shine, allowing photos, captions and text to mingle in an ordered progression. Black-stained trim edges enhance the entire book, and especially in the color-plate section they give a sense of page boundaries. Plates are well paced and have richness on the creamy text stock.