Lecture Notes: Louise Bourgeois and Her Sculpture "Maman"

Key Subject: Spiders

• Spiders are a central theme in Louise Bourgeois' artwork.
• "Maman" is one of her most significant sculptures featuring spiders.

Description of "Maman"

• Structure:
  • Features long, tubular legs made from welded steel plates.
  • Legs balance on tiny points bolted into a stone plaza.
• Design Influence:
  • Legs' shapes echo the gothic architecture of the Parliamentary Library and the glass pinnacle of the Great Hall of the National Gallery of Canada.
• Sack and Eggs:
  • A web-like sack with 20 marble eggs hangs from the spider's body.
  • Marble eggs are replaced with painted polystyrene during cold weather to prevent ice damage due to marble's porosity.
• Surface Coating:
  • Brown patina mimics the oil on a spider's body which prevents it from sticking to its own web.
  • Patina also serves as weather protection.

Symbolic Meaning

• Personal Connection:
  • Spiders symbolize Bourgeois' childhood memories in France, particularly those of her mother.
  • Bourgeois viewed the spider as representative of her mother: reliable, intellectual, and logical.
• Tribute to Mother:
  • Her mother, Louise Bourgeois' best friend and a skilled artisan, ran the family tapestry restoration business and supported her interest in art.
  • "Maman" is a tribute to her mother's strength and love, and by extension, to all mothers.

Themes and Motifs

• Spiders as symbols of maternal strength and reliability.
• Connection between art, family heritage, and personal history.
• Exploration of childhood memories and relationships through sculpture.