American sculptor and Conceptual artist Kiki Smith is known for looking at the human form from the inside out. One example is her sculpture consisting of a pair of life-size wax nudes: a man and a woman, dangling side by side as if crucified. The figures, with their yellowed skin, blank faces, and dr

Biomorphic, Erotic, Modern sculpture, Sincere, Visceral

This unusual sculptor/painter achieved an authentically individualistic style by channeling her talents through the art of assemblage, a form of integrated mixed media. Her work is largely inspired by the earthy representations of people and animals from pre-Columbian sculpture and South American fol

Eclectic, Fantastic, Intimate, Modern sculpture, Religious, Serene

Although Ligon is famous for his text-oriented explorations of African American history, much of his recent art is like a tabloid TV show, exposing a secret world of interracial gay sex. Ligon's work, which spans several mediums, calls out the difficulties of growing up black and gay in middle-class

Composed, Deconstructive, Homoerotic, Modern sculpture, Political, Rebel

He twists common colloquial forms -- like signs, stuffed animals and felt banners -- and infuses them with the dark psychologies and hidden undercurrents (sexual, metaphysical, and otherwise) of middle-class American culture, assaulting everything that society holds dear. From his first rambling perf

Modern sculpture, Perverse, Political, Sexy, Wise assy