Louise Bourgeois Takes On the Berkshires

Louise Bourgeois "Eyes"
commissioned by Williams College in 2001

Sometimes I come upon art that I'm so eager to see that I start running towards it. It's not pretty, but I can't help myself. Case in point: Louise Bourgeois' "Eyes."  

The sculptures can be found on the lawn outside Williams College's art museum. Oh. My. God. How could you resist engaging with these wonderful works? Some have built in benches so you can hang out with them without getting grass stains on your white jeans. Some have electric lights that glow with deep blue and pink hues at night. I am definitely checking that out on my next visit. 

Not surprisingly, there's more to these works than whimsy. The College's website notes that "eyes, for Bourgeois, were metaphors for the truth and, as she once said, 'eyes relate to seduction, flirtation and voyeurism.'" When doing a bit more research, I learned that Bourgeois' father had multiple affairs when she was young, including with her nanny. Knowing that, it's hard not to think of her saying, "I saw you, Papa" when you look at these works. It's also worth noting that in addition to being a philanderer, Bourgeois' father is described as having been "tyrannical." It's not exactly the type of upbringing that makes a kid feel secure. 

More "Eyes" at Williams College 

As if this wasn't sufficient trauma, Bourgeois' mother passed away when the artist was just 22 years old. The loss left her feeling not only sad but abandoned. After her father's death 17 years later, Bourgeois went into therapy. It wasn't just garden variety therapy either, but psychoanalysis. In case you're not familiar with the difference, psychoanalysis is based on Freudian theory, which delves into the unconscious mind and past traumas. It sounds very intense. 

With this information in hand, it's no surprise that Bourgeois' work has deep psychological meaning. In fact, discussions of her "Eyes" note the resemblance between the works and breasts. I have to admit that I didn't notice the likeness when I was standing in front of them, although it now seems obvious. In any event, it's hard to know this and not think back once again to her father's affairs. I actually feel kind of bad about enjoying the works so much now that I know more about their meaning. 

"The Couple" 

We also came upon this sculpture by Bourgeois when visiting MASS MoCa. It's called "The Couple." Before I expound, take a good look at it and think about how it makes you feel. Note: The average time spent looking at an artwork in a museum is between 15 and 30 seconds. You can do better than that! 

The "cocoon" in which the couple find themselves enfolded is made of the woman's flowing locks. I don't think I got that when I saw the work. From reading a bit online, it seems that viewer reactions range from experiencing claustrophia to feeling embraced. I'll leave it to you to guess which camp I fall into. To read a bit more about "The Couple," click here.  

I'd feel remiss writing about Bourgeois without mentioning her spiders, although none were on display. The largest of these works stands 30' high and 33' across and is named "Maman." The sculpture features a sac with 32 eggs in it. While that sounds kind of creepy to me, it was an homage to her mother. 

You might wonder what the connection was in Bourgeois' mind between her mother and a spider. First, her mother repaired tapestries, which of course are woven like spider webs. More significantly, Bourgeois believed spiders represented the duality in her mother as both a protector to young Louise and a threat to the outside world. To see an image of this iconic work in situ at the Guggenheim in Balboa, click here. 

With that, I'll close this post. For more on Bourgeois and her work, click here. The link includes exercises to create your own Louise Bourgeois-inspired art. Let me know if you take the challenge.