Spider II

Louise Bourgeois grew up in France and her childhood relationships with family members have been an important source of inspiration for her art work as an adult. She has written: "my best friend was my mother and she was deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat and as useful as a spider. She could also defend herself." Bourgeois' mother ran the family's tapestry restoration workshop and Louise admired her, but was also intimidated by her. The spider became an apt symbol of this intelligent, fastidious, and sometimes fearsome woman. Similarly, sewing needles represent repaired damage, or forgiveness. With Spider II Bourgeois created an animated creature that looks both mechanical and natural walking up the gallery wall on needle feet.

MEM