The piece of work produced by Louise Bourgeois I have chosen to discuss is a series of 16 etchings called ‘À L’infini’. The etchings, on a background of cream paper, have been added to with pencil and gouache. They depict various images of stringy, worm-like shapes tangled or knotted together. Entangled in these are other shapes; some recognisable, some not. Like in the image above, a few of the etchings have human figures in them. This headless nude appears to be an integral part of the knot, being directly joined to it. The colours throughout are a mix of pinks, reds, greys and whites with some drawing and writing in pencil.
The string shapes may be intestines, veins or entrails and there is a visceral quality to this series. The biological and fleshy feeling to the images rather than being something gory or disgusting, feels familiar. There is something human, something of us about these images. A few of the images have circle shapes (as in the below image) or spirals drawn in pencil and paint. These shapes remind me of dissections of cells. Like many of the shapes; these circles are what we are deep inside, at a basic level. The spirals could also be a hat tip to the golden ratio (a number that appears often in nature; eg. in the arrangement of leaves on a plant) thus raising the topic of our connection to nature and place in the life cycle.
A lot of the shapes in these images could be seen as fallopian tubes and ovaries. These are symbols for motherhood, reproduction and the infinite (or seemingly infinite) reproduction and circle of life. They could also be interpreted as veins, arteries, umbilical cords or intestines. All these vessels connect things; heart to limbs and tissue, mother to child, etc. In these shapes the subject of connection is raised. Connection to the circle of life and connection to each other. These images are not fragile but vital and strong. They are full of strength, maybe the strength of the mother.
The figures of a headless nude, an intertwined couple and two people, each inside their own bubble are of particular interest. These could symbolise moments in Bourgeois’s own life; maybe moments of great emotional significance. These moments have become a part of her and have changed her deep inside. The image shown below is clearly linked to motherhood. Each figure appears to be in their own amniotic sac (or possibly ovary) but they are connected through tubes. They are connected but cannot reach each other and I wonder if this subject matter is the death of Bourgeois’s son. Here she may be grieving and feeling cut off from him but also (as this was drawn towards the end of her life) considering if she will see him again soon as the sacs are not totally cut off, they are still connected.
Another part of this series that interests me is a particular detail in pencil in ‘Untitled, no.13 of 14’ from À L’infini (series 1) which I have previously included in this post. I have drawn the detail below. The detail is a shape that does not necessarily, like the rest of the shapes, look animal but looks more vegetable. It does not, however, appear to contrast with the other shapes but instead has a synergy with the rest of the work. I think it is interesting to have this shape in amongst all these fleshy, visceral images. This could be an onion bulb, part of a flower or a seedpod and therefore this could symbolise reproduction and growth. It is worth noting that part of this shape looks a little like human reproductive organs and so Bourgeois ties this again with us and our reproduction. This could be reference to the life cycle and the human journey. The fact that the shape appears to be attached to a vein suggests connection; our connection to nature and each other in life and in death.
These images were created towards the end of Bourgeois’s life and in them she is considering her own mortality and what will happen to her body in death; her body that once gave life. After death her body and the parts of it shown in these images will breakdown and become a different element in the circle of life. She may be accepting her part in this circle, considering what is after death and what she will leave behind. The title means ‘into infinity’ which also points towards the subject of the circle of life and how we are connected to it. It points to an understanding that we never really leave the circle just become a different part of it. It ponders on our existence in general but also specifically on Bourgeois’s own journey and the journey she is about to take. She is clearly using this partly as her own therapy. I do not see fear in these images but I see acceptance and a message for us to consider our existence similarly.
According to MoMA’s website (www.moma.org) Bourgeois printed fragments of these images and then worked on them further with gouache, watercolour and pencil. The use of fluid media (gouache and watercolour) is key to these images. The paint adds a liquid quality to the images and turns the images of tubes and strings into vessels full of blood or bodily fluids and this gives it a visceral look. It adds strong colour to the images giving them more impact.
After copying two of these images (see above) and using only pencil, it is clear to me that the use of fluid media in this work is vital. Drawing and colouring with dry media just doesn’t give these images the same flow and natural quality. I like the use of both watercolour and gouache, they make good partners. I particularly like its use in the depiction of the two figures in bubbles. The more translucent watercolour is used to depict what appears to be a fluid filled sac in which the figures, painted in the more opaque gouache, are sitting. The gouache is also used to show the grey veins that are connected to the sacs; this makes them look more solid and strong. I think the use of both fluid and dry media in these drawings give Bourgeois the freedom to add movement and a natural quality in the form of the fluid media whilst using the dry media to add detail or create boundaries for the veins.
Websites used in research:
Self Assessment:
I have enjoyed focussing on specific work by Louise Bourgeois and feel pleased with the work that I chose. I found it particularly interesting how sketching parts of the work gave me a greater insight into the production of the work and the choices Bourgeois made to convey her message. It was specifically interesting how a change in material (paint to pencil) changed the impact of the image so much and clearly shows how choosing your materials wisely is an important step in the artistic process. I will definitely use the technique of making small sketches of work for future research.
In my notetaking, prior to my blog write up, I made sure that I looked carefully at the work and made my own assessments of the meaning and motivation behind it. I think this is an important step, not only in the research of the specific subject at hand but in ones own personal development. It is always important to know how you feel about the work.
It is also important to read others assessment of the work and research the background of the artist and work. Researching the artist’s background helps you understand the context of the work and the motivation behind it. This is particularly important in deeply personal and emotional work such as this.
In my research I found some very useful websites but unfortunately did not find any particularly useful journal articles or books. I understand that these resources are very important and I would like to have found at least one resource in this category. This could be attributed to the fact that I have not had much practice in research and have not found the reliable pathways to these type of resources (I will keep searching for them). It may also be that my choice of artwork has not been as extensively analysed as the suggested piece of work (10am Is When You Come To Me (2006)). It is therefore worth noting that a quick search for resources on a chosen piece before embarking on researching it fully would be prudent.
Lucy's OCA Learning Blog 