If ever there was a female artist to counter Francis Bacon’s triggers, for me it is Louise. Almost all of her work puts me in those cages quivering. The overlording of both male and female energies prevent one from finding any safe space. There is no sanctuary in Bourgeois’ work. Only a kind of purging that is unfamiliar and uncomfortable but necessary.
I was triggered by your write up. It’s either you or her. I am counting on the fact it’s still her. A testament to your effective capture of her different stages as they take me back to being a cowering child in the corner.
Wow, I love how deeply you’ve connected with her work; her ability to unsettle and provoke such visceral reactions is part of what makes her so powerful. The way you describe being “triggered” but also moved by her purging energy really captures the essence of her art. It’s that fine line between discomfort and necessary confrontation, isn’t it?
Exactly. I initially found myself wanting to shun or dislike her stuff when I first experienced it. Then one installation at MOMA you could walk inside and out of. I have it in my film scroll from about 6 or more years ago. I made myself stay with it. A kind of blue room paneled standing prison. It was in the center of a space all by itself. You could go in the diminished door and be in where there was no color. Or you could walk through the arch and be out, where it was blue. All hinged panels in an ovoid circle. You may remember it.
The piece you're describing sounds like The Blue Room, which was part of her retrospective at MoMA (maybe in 2009 or 2010, because I remember seeing it while going for my second Master’s). It had that deeply confining, almost suffocating energy, but with the subtle transformation of being able to step out into that blue space. The contrast between the isolation and the small sense of release it offered was striking. It was as though she forced you to confront something uncomfortable, yet in doing so, revealed something profound about space, perception, and emotional experience. It’s a great reminder of how staying with a piece, even when it feels off-putting, can lead to a much deeper understanding.
If ever there was a female artist to counter Francis Bacon’s triggers, for me it is Louise. Almost all of her work puts me in those cages quivering. The overlording of both male and female energies prevent one from finding any safe space. There is no sanctuary in Bourgeois’ work. Only a kind of purging that is unfamiliar and uncomfortable but necessary.
I was triggered by your write up. It’s either you or her. I am counting on the fact it’s still her. A testament to your effective capture of her different stages as they take me back to being a cowering child in the corner.
Whew!
Btw, that’s me liking her work 😂
Wow, I love how deeply you’ve connected with her work; her ability to unsettle and provoke such visceral reactions is part of what makes her so powerful. The way you describe being “triggered” but also moved by her purging energy really captures the essence of her art. It’s that fine line between discomfort and necessary confrontation, isn’t it?
Exactly. I initially found myself wanting to shun or dislike her stuff when I first experienced it. Then one installation at MOMA you could walk inside and out of. I have it in my film scroll from about 6 or more years ago. I made myself stay with it. A kind of blue room paneled standing prison. It was in the center of a space all by itself. You could go in the diminished door and be in where there was no color. Or you could walk through the arch and be out, where it was blue. All hinged panels in an ovoid circle. You may remember it.
The piece you're describing sounds like The Blue Room, which was part of her retrospective at MoMA (maybe in 2009 or 2010, because I remember seeing it while going for my second Master’s). It had that deeply confining, almost suffocating energy, but with the subtle transformation of being able to step out into that blue space. The contrast between the isolation and the small sense of release it offered was striking. It was as though she forced you to confront something uncomfortable, yet in doing so, revealed something profound about space, perception, and emotional experience. It’s a great reminder of how staying with a piece, even when it feels off-putting, can lead to a much deeper understanding.
Yes it could be that long ago. My my. I will be done with the move by the weekend and have time to look it up. I have wonderful pics.