Back To The Basics With Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois is a famous traditional artist that we discussed in class. She is not like the other artists that we have recently been talking about because of her traditional style. She is a sculptor, painter and print maker. She uses materials such as; wood, clay-stone, mirrors and clothing. All of the materials that she uses have a sense of history to them and the story of history is revealed in her work. Her work is autobiographical and tells a story about her life and family. She believes that art is taking your own life and using it to create works, which in that sense makes her a traditional artist.

Bourgeois claims that she should not have to explain her art and that the work should move and speak to you. I agree with this statement; however I disagree with her argument that if her work does not move you then she failed as an artist. This is a belief of many traditional artists. Bourgeois claims that her work is inspired through her history but since everyone has a different history, every piece will not mean or inspire that same reaction. It is refreshing to know that there are still traditional artists creating work that is inspired through their history. I feel that this kind of art can be the most inspiring and cause a reason that truly connects the viewer with the artist.

Some of the work that she is best known for is Cells, Spiders, and several other drawings, books or sculptures. Louise bourgeois has a true connection with her work and speaks of them in symbolic terms focused around relationships. Her major inspiration is from her childhood; mainly her adulterous father, who had an affair with her governess, and her mother, who refused to acknowledge it. She conveys feelings of anger, betrayal and jealousy, but with playfulness in her work. Bourgeois’ pieces consist of erotic and sexual images and also forms found in nature, such as her sculpture, Cumuls (referring to clouds in the sky) and Nature Study. Although she has worked with spider imagery since the 1940s, perhaps her most famous works are the spider sculptures from 1994 to 2003, including Mamad.