Louise Bourgeios: A Lifetime of Art & Passion

It seems there are lots of emails poking fun at the way we age. Truly, I find them funny. Yet there is something stereotypical in assuming a loss of our "creative juices" as we age. The renowned French artist, Louise Bourgeois, (1911-2010) an example of continuing original creativity regardless of age.

 

As a younger woman, Ms. Bourgeois created monumental works in marble, glass, latex, rubber, and metal. Her best-known sculptures are her 30-foot high spiders in a series titled, "Maman." (They are tributes to her mother and the other women who worked in the family business of repairing and reweaving valuable tapestries.)

 

 

 When she was 88 years old (1999), she accepted a commission as the first artist to create a monumentally-sized work for the Tate Modern. The commission was to fill Turbine Hall - a room which is 30-feet high and 500 feet long. The installation was titled, "I Do I Undo and I Redo." 

 

 Louise Bourgeois has also explored her ideas in printmaking, painting and performance. In 2007, the Tate Modern curated a survey of her works over a span of 70 years. The survey included some 200 pieces. 

 She conducted Sunday salons for artists, had an exhibition of her textile prints in Stockholm,and was working on a commission in 2010 for the Maison de Balzac in Paris, before her death at age 99. Her last year, she made art to help finance the activism organization, Freedom to Marry. She also created for HIV and Act Up, believing that all people should be treated fairly and equally.

As one writer stated of her, "At 98, and still working, she is a fierce woman who is original, curious, intelligent, sensitive, generous, wildly imaginative, sexual and uncompromising." All I can add is "atta girl," Louise!

Betty Woodman: Potter, Painter, Sculptor, Printer

Betty Woodman (1930-) started her art career as a ceramic potter. Over the years, she has added painter, ceramicist, sculptor and printer to her resume. At age 81, she is still remarkably innovative, exuberant and eclectic in her work.

A tiny woman, Woodman produces many monumentally sized installations. For example, her commission for the U. S. Embassy in Beijing, China was approximately 30 feet by 27 feet!

Her energy is so contagious that she reminds me of Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010),whose fertile imagination guided her artwork until she was in her 90s. (See archive – Sept, 2009) Another shared area was the size of their works - both women made large-scale sculptures.

Woodman has received many kudos and awards over the years including a Fullbright-Hays Scholarship to Florence, Italy; National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship at Bellagio, Italy, and many Honorary Doctorates from renowned schools of fine arts.

Her mastery (but not the large scale) of her works can be seen below. I’ve chosen images, which reflect her eclectic combination of clay sculpture, painting and print. However, if you want to see Woodman in action, there’s a short video of the installation in Beijing, China, in 2009 when she was a mere 79 years old. (Click on the URL to enjoy the fullness of her art, her energy and her exuberance for her work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT6-Qusq95U )

Louise Nevelson: The Other Louise

It seems that the 20th Century provided us with two outstanding sculptors named "Louise." Both were born in Europe and immigrated to the U.S., both made monumentally-sized sculptures and both had long lives devoted to art. One of the two, Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010), was the subject of this blog in August, 2009.

The other, Louise - that is Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) - was not only an outstanding 20th century sculptor, but was considered a pioneer in the use of found objects as part of her sculptures.

The daughter of a family in the timber business, it seems that Nevelson could not resist scavenging objects, especially woods ones, to create her art. She was known for her creations of sculptures of geometric shapes based on the assemblage of reused items. A lintel, a door frame, an old chair or a crate all held design possibilities for Nevelson.

Out of found materials came her signature sculptures which were often large and always painted black, white or gold. (One of her sculptures measured about 55 feet!) Below are images of some of Nevelson's sculptures which you can click to enlarge.

There is just one last thing: both Louises continued to work on commission until shortly before they died. They were two women of immense vigor and passion for art. As Nevelson stated, "It isn't how you live, but how you finish."

98 Year Old Creative Force in Art

It seems there are lots of emails poking fun at the way we age. Truly, I find them funny. Yet there is something stereotypical in assuming a loss of our "creative juices" as we age. The renowned French artist, Louise Bourgeois, who completes 98 years on Dec. 25th, is an example of continuing original creativity regardless of age.

As a younger woman, Ms. Bourgeois created monumental works in marble, glass, latex, rubber, and metal. Her best-known sculptures are her 30-foot high spiders in a series titled, "Maman." (They are tributes to her mother and the other women who worked in the family business of repairing and reweaving valuable tapestries.)



When she was 88 years old (1999), she accepted a commission as the first artist to create a monumentally-sized work for the Tate Modern. The commission was to fill Turbine Hall - a room which is 30-feet high and 500 feet long. The installation was titled, "I Do I Undo and I Redo."




Louise Bourgeois has also explored her ideas in printmaking, painting and performance. In 2007, the Tate Modern curated a survey of her works over a span of 70 years. The survey included some 200 pieces.

As of this writing, Ms. Bourgeois maintains a vital and busy life. She conducts Sunday salons for artists, has an exhibition of her textile prints in Stockholm,and is working on a commission for 2010 for the Maison de Balzac in Paris.

As one writer stated, "At 98, and still working, she is a fierce woman who is original, curious, intelligent, sensitive, generous, wildly imaginative, sexual and uncompromising."
Imagine yourself at age 98 - what would you like to have someone write about you?