Why’d They Put That In A Museum?
Show Notes
Artist: Louise Bourgeois (French, 1911 – 2010)
Item (above, and right): Maman, 1999
Details: Stainless steel, bronze, and marble; 9 meters (30 feet)
Image: (Below) Louise Bourgeois by Robert Mapplethorpe (1982, printed 1991) © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
Maman by Louise Bourgeois
Is bigger better when it comes to art? That’s one of the questions that Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon ponder in this discussion of the life and work of Louise Bourgeois. In this episode of “Why’d They Put That in a Museum?”, hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees focus on the sculpture Maman, an enormous metal sculpture of a spider. Bourgeois was in her 70s and 80’s when she increased the scale of her art and around that time, her work began to command significant attention in the contemporary art world. Bourgeois was 88 years old when Maman, was acquired by the Tate Museum in London.
As a child, Bourgeois supported her parents tapestry repair workshop in France. When her father invited his mistress to live with them, Louise experienced intense and complex emotions. The dynamics her relationship with her mother became the backstory of this work. Bourgeois has stated that the spider represents a maternal figure, and represents to her themes of protection, trauma, and familial commitment. During her long career, Bourgeois had many connections to major art movements, without being identified directly with any of them. She was truly one of a kind. What is it like to walk under a 30-foot-tall steel spider? You can try it yourself at the Tate in London or the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Or you can imagine the scenario as you listen to this podcast.
Time Code
00:00 Introducing Louise Bourgeois
01:59 Exploring ‘Maman,’ the Giant Spider
05:14 Bourgeois’ Early Life and Inspirations
10:11 Bourgeois’ Artistic Journey and Style
15:04 The Impact and Legacy of Louise Bourgeois
23:06 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Contact Us
Say helloAbout the Podcasters
Sarah Lees
Sarah is a museum curator and researcher who has worked in organizations both large and small, and who remembers her first assignment for an art history class – to look into Rembrandt’s eyes and describe what she saw there. She believes everyone can find those kinds of connections to some form of creative expression, whether it’s a painting, a grandmother’s quilt, or a perfectly formed pen-stroke in a manuscript.
Beth Bacon
In addition to being an avid museum-goer, Beth Bacon is an author for young readers. Her books empower today’s kids to learn about themselves and the world through reading. She is also a teacher and branding consultant and a volunteer at the Missouri History Museum. Beth holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, an MA in Communication Arts from NYU, and a BA in Literature from Harvard University.
Music Credit
The music you hear in the intro and outro was composed by Edward Whelan. We appreciate his contribution to our podcast.