Louise Bourgeois' sculptures are such an inspiration. Her pieces are fuelled with suggestive meaning and personal insight into her thoughts. In particular the life size piece, Arch of Hysteria (1993) is a beautiful bronze depiction of a suspended hermaphroditic figure.
'Arch of Hysteria (1993) alludes not only to a state of mind but to gender as well: The term hysteria was coined in the 19th century to refer to the emotionality of women, but Bourgeois made this figure male because men are hysterical too'
'Throughout her 70-year career, Bourgeois has drawn upon personal memories to develop complex meditations on such universal themes as personal identity, family relationships and the power of art to express deeply felt emotions. Her materials range from traditional plaster, bronze, marble and wood to resin, latex, glass, rubber and electric lights, along with found objects such as toy dolls and old furniture and clothes. Bourgeois has an idiosyncratic aesthetic and has adapted and interpreted diverse ideas and styles from Europe and America, notably Surrealism, primitivism, psychoanalysis, conceptualism and feminism. ' - Hirshhorn
The Louise Bourgeois exhibition at the Tate in 2008 is something I wish I could go back and see. Unfortunately time travel is not possible and so I am extremely grateful for the Tate Modern's retrospective archive of exhibitions.
Louise Bourgeois, 10 October 2007 – 20 JANUARY 2008
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