Spider 1997

Louise Bourgeois made this Spider sculpture using a variety of materials like steel and bronze, which she assembled in a way that feels both menacing and fragile. For me, artmaking is a process of balancing these opposing forces. Looking at the Spider's legs, I notice the rough texture and how they taper to these fine points. They remind me of charcoal drawings – you know, those quick, gestural lines that capture movement and tension. And then there's the cage-like body, which encloses this ambiguous form within it. The spider feels protective, but also a little bit threatening. It makes me think of mothers. Bourgeois' spider sculptures have this really personal connection to her own mother. This contrasts to the often brutal imagery in the work of Francis Bacon, who she knew, but he wasn't as open about revealing autobiographical aspects of his art. It's like she's saying, "Here's my story, but it's up to you to decide what it means." And isn't that what art is all about, anyway?