Combined, the discernible themes of self, motherhood and domesticity could explain why Bourgeois has become synonymous with the feminist art movement, taking on an almost ambassadorial role. But all of her work was deeply personal.īourgeois only named these pieces Cells from 1991 onwards, which explains the inclusion of earlier work that seemed to inspire or influence the series, such as the famous The Destruction of the Father (1974), a grotesque rendering of her father’s body being torn apart and devoured in Peter Greenaway fashion. Sometimes it was the whole figure sometimes just a foot. Despite working in almost every imaginable medium during her 70-year career (from the aforementioned drawing to sculpture and tapestry), Bourgeois almost always focused on the human form, whether supine, oversized, realistic or abstract. Cells is her autobiography, her catharsis and her personal therapy. Through them, she was able to analyse and express her memory, anxiety, fear of abandonment and pain. These are dioramic, standalone sculptural forms using objects from Bourgeois’s childhood (plaster casts, text and drawings) as well as penises, breast-like bulges and – of course – spiders, all within the confines of cell-like structures (usually penned in by doors or steel cages). The 60-odd collection is challenging, even with my personal guide, Jerry Gorovoy, the artist’s friend and assistant, who is here to oversee the installation. If you want to get into Bourgeois’s mind, the Cells are a good place to start.
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