“I always had the fear of being separated and abandoned. The sewing is my attempt to keep things together and make things whole.”
If you don’t know much about Louise Bourgeois, it’s helpful to do some wiki-ing before seeing The Fabric Works. My first impression of her came from Maman, so these comparatively understated works had me double checking the name on the wall. But the fabrics do indeed fit into her patterns. You'll see her spirals and webs and the theme of female identity inherent to sewing and mending. At eight years old she began working for her parent’s tapestry restoration business. Here we see her returning to these roots at the end of her life.
The raw materials are her own handkerchiefs, tablecloths, napkins, dresses, sheets, and towels. They span from precious frayed and stained linens embroidered with beads, flowers, and her initials to bold, blue geometric seascapes. Both are equally alluring.
The show concludes with a fabric sculpture that feels more representative of the artist, especially by introducing a bodily form. A vitrine holds a tree of thread bobbins as well as torso piled with stuffed berets. The sculpture is a satisfying end to the show of 2D works.
Louise Bourgeois: The Fabric Works is on view at Cheim & Read on 547 West 25th Street until June 25th
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