Louise Bourgeois

Louise bourgeois has been one of my favorite artists for a while now, she died last year at 98 and has really effected my work.
Here are a few the most influential pieces in my opinion.

The Destruction of the Father 1974

This piece is about Bourgeois' father and her relationship with him. She uses a very autobiographical approach to her work. This is covered in latex and lit with a red glow.
I think it's like a liar or tomb, a confined space; perhaps like being a child in a house ruled by a father, having no control and being forced into this space.
It's so bodily and sexual, I find it kind of terrifying. I hate to say it, but pretty Freudian. Perhaps that's too obvious though.
Apparently, it is about a dream in which the children of the household turn around and attack the father, dismembering him. It's very aggressive, that's for sure.

Le Regard 1966

 I find this piece almost as shocking. It's so odd and brown. Like an alien egg. Or a punctured pregnant belly. The things inside are like tiny eggs. Like a snake's egg or something similarly alien.















This carries on that sexual feeling. On obviously phallic object, it reminds me of ancient fertility stones. I went to Pompeii once and they had these outside their houses, stone penis' as a fertility charm. This is different though, I can imagine the marble being smooth and soft; almost human.

Sleep II 1967

End of Softness 1967

 

Give or Take (How do you feel this morning?) 1990

Janus Fleuri 1968

 This is so sexual and exciting. I love the way she's created these phallic objects; so masculine, the rule the fucking world, and then she's slumped them. I can imagine them hanging lifelessly, it's feels satisfying it a very odd way. I absolutely love this.

Arch of Hysteria 1993

"The subject of pain is the business I am in"

This piece is very potent I think. The Arch is like that of orgasm and of pain. Those two expressions and experiences I think are very closely linked, each on the other side of the knife edge.

Bourgeois thought at one point that she could not conceive children. I wonder if this piece is about that conviction (which turned out to be false), about the pain of not being able to conceive from the pleasure of sex.





 

 

  This piece is pretty incredible. That lack of a head, that elongated neck. Like a stuffed toy.

Fragile Godess 2002

Female Godess 2002

Maman 2000

"The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother."