Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeois: A Life of Artistic Expression and Innovation
Full Name and Common Aliases
Louise Joséphine Bourgeois was a French-American artist known for her diverse range of mediums, including sculpture, printmaking, painting, and installation. She is often referred to by her initials, L.B., or simply as Louise.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on December 25, 1911, in Paris, France, Louise Bourgeois passed away on May 31, 2010, at the age of 98, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of artistic innovation and expression.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Bourgeois held both French and American nationalities. She identified as an artist, specifically a sculptor, printmaker, painter, and installation artist, but her work also drew from photography, film, and literature.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in a family of modest means, Bourgeois was the second of three children born to Joséphine Fauriaux and Louis Bourgeois. Her father, an engineer and art collector, encouraged her early interest in art, while her mother, a homemaker, instilled in her a sense of domesticity and responsibility. This dichotomy between creativity and convention would later influence Bourgeois's work.
Bourgeois attended the École de Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1929 to 1932, where she studied painting and drawing under the tutelage of renowned artists like André Lhote and Roger Bissière. During this time, she also developed a passion for printmaking, which would become a defining feature of her artistic practice.
Major Accomplishments
Bourgeois's career spanned over seven decades, during which she produced an impressive body of work that defied categorization. Some of her most notable accomplishments include:
Creating the iconic series "Maman," a series of spider-like sculptures that have become synonymous with her name.
Developing the concept of "Femme-Maison," where she explored the relationship between domesticity and creativity.
Exhibiting her work at prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Bourgeois's most notable works include:
"He Disappeared into Complete Silence" (1947), a series of etchings that explored themes of domesticity and loss.
"The Fences" (1992-1994), an installation that incorporated fencing, fabric, and other materials to create a sense of confinement and protection.
"I Do, I Undo, I Redo" (2005-2010), a series of sculptures that reflected her fascination with the cyclical nature of life and art.
Impact and Legacy
Bourgeois's impact on modern and contemporary art is immeasurable. Her innovative approach to medium and subject matter has inspired generations of artists, including Marina Abramovic, Anish Kapoor, and Ellen Gallagher.
Her legacy extends beyond the art world, influencing fields like feminism, psychology, and philosophy. Bourgeois's work continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, offering a powerful reflection on the human experience.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Louise Bourgeois is widely quoted and remembered for her insightful comments on art, life, and creativity. Some of her most notable quotes include:
"Art is a gesture."
"The first condition of the artist is that he be able to comfort himself in his work, that he be happy while he works."
* "I am not an artist; I am a worker."
Bourgeois's art and words have transcended time and space, speaking directly to our collective experiences as humans. Her legacy serves as a reminder of the transformative power of creativity and innovation.
Quotes by Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeois's insights on:
To express your emotions, you have to be very loose and receptive. The unconscious will come to you if you have that gift that artists have. I only know if I'm inspired by the results.
I have drawn my whole life. My parents were in the tapestry restoration business, and as a young girl, I would draw in the missing parts of the tapestry that needed to be rewoven.
You pile up associations the way you pile up bricks. Memory itself is a form of architecture.
He was the wolf, and she was the rational hare, forgiving and accepting him as he was.
Look at it this way – a totem pole is just a decorated tree. My work is a confessional.
My mother was a restorer, she repaired broken things. I don’t do that. I destroy things. I cannot go the straight line. I must destroy, rebuild, destroy again. My rhythm is not the same. My mother moved in a straight line: I go from one extreme to the other.
Don’t get the green disease of envy. Don’t be fooled by success and money. Don’t let anything come between you and your work.
My knives are like a tongue – I love, I do not love, I hate. If you don’t love me, I am ready to attack. I am a double-edged knife.
Art is restoration: the idea is to repair the damages that are inflicted in life, to make something that is fragmented – which is what fear and anxiety do to a person – into something whole.