anna's museum writeup

Labor day weekend, I went into New York to see Louise Bourgeois' retrospective at the Guggenheim. I initially saw her work at Dia earlier this year. The surroundings there really suited her organic forms. It was in a section of the museum with exposed brick and rather dark. One of her'spiders' was in it's own room, practically filling it with an ominous presence, much like a giant prehistoric insect/gazebo.

At the Guggenheim, the lobby had another of her spider sculptures, though this one was seemingly graceful and elegant. Also, 2 hanging objects hung from the ceiling, glimmering like silver bee hives. They made good use of the layout. Each level of the rotunda showcased as different phase of her long career.

Her series of installations, Cells, were depressing, yet effective. To the artist they represented "different types of pain". They reminded me of a section of Ellis Island that used to house the medical wards. A friend of mine was performing there and we wandered around these vacant buildings. This section of buildings hadn't been restored and were in a state of decay. The artist's Cells, with their weathered doors and dusty windows, made me wonder what storeis these 'walls' would tell if they could talk. While I found myself drawing to her 'totems' and tapestry pieces, which were primitive, feminine, and hopeful, her Cell installations were successful because they did convey the pain and disappointment.

It was interesting to explore Bourgeios' journey and the different stages and materials. There were certain themes that seemed to always remain with her. It's fascinationg how something seemingly 'trivial', her mother's profession, and 'emotional', her father's affair, would inform and effect her life and work. I also had the sense that her mother's profession and the artist's themes of spiders, threads, tapestries and even the totems, were magical, healing, and hopeful. Whereas, the wound caused by her father's affair was distressing and sinister. She was able. to show both sides effectively.