Much of Kiki Smith's work concerns the human body, and in My Blue Lake she depicts her own head and shoulders. The print is based on a photograph. Smith traveled to the British museum in London to use only one of two still functioning old-style 360-degree camras. Seated with her head and shoulders in the camera, it circled her body and took the photograph. That photograph comprises the main portion of the print, although Smith has added additional etching and lithography.

Smith was born in Germany but grew up in the United States. She is self-taught as an artist, although her father was an important sculptor, Tony Smith.

Source: News, November December 1995.