This embroidery sampler is my favourite of Louise Bourgeois works. Her art was about exorcising her demons... so the message lovingly embroidered on this handkerchief is bitter sweet. 'I have been to hell and back, and let me tell you it was wonderful'. In Louise’s appropriation of this needlework tradition, darkness is a part of her celebration of life. Blessed are the cracks coz they let the light in…
R.I.P Louise Bourgeois,
25 Dec 1911 to 31 May to 2010
LB in New York, circa 1946, Photo: Louise Bourgeois Archive.
R.I.P Louise Bourgeois,
25 Dec 1911 to 31 May to 2010
LB in New York, circa 1946, Photo: Louise Bourgeois Archive.
LB in 1991, Photo by Annie Leibovitz
Like the spider scupltures she is famous for, LB was like a weaver, and with a family tradition in tapestry restoration, she seemed to be mending her memories and relationships. There is always a sense of aggression behind these works. Louise did not claim to be feminist, but her work relates to a tradition of feminine crafts. Louise created huge spider sculptures entitled ‘maman’ in remembrance of her mother, the web symbolic of her mother weaving yarn.
From her installation The Red Room, Je’taime is embroidered on the parental pillow and a pricked finger with the remaining thread lies on the bed. It evokes the tale of sleeping beauty, and a hundred years of slumber awaiting a prince to wake her from the spell of the spinning wheel.
Like the spider scupltures she is famous for, LB was like a weaver, and with a family tradition in tapestry restoration, she seemed to be mending her memories and relationships. There is always a sense of aggression behind these works. Louise did not claim to be feminist, but her work relates to a tradition of feminine crafts. Louise created huge spider sculptures entitled ‘maman’ in remembrance of her mother, the web symbolic of her mother weaving yarn.
From her installation The Red Room, Je’taime is embroidered on the parental pillow and a pricked finger with the remaining thread lies on the bed. It evokes the tale of sleeping beauty, and a hundred years of slumber awaiting a prince to wake her from the spell of the spinning wheel.
In the Victorian age, sewing was a common past time amongst women and girls were taught from an early age. The messages in these samplers were often religious, poetic and quite moving. I’ve always been intrigued by these decorative artefacts, and their perfect imperfections.
Some of L.B’s latest work is currently on show in Venice… the show entitled “The Fabric Works”, and they seem much more delicate. Her spiders will no doubt continue to roam the art world for an eternity.
x
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