The Couple, 2003, aluminum, suspended work

One of the most extraordinary exhibition to open this week is Louise Bourgeois at Galerie Karsten Greve. This retrospective of works by the Franco American artist, is made of pieces from 1946 to 2007 which were acquired directly by Mr Greve during their 30 year collaboration. The artist moved to New York in 1938 after marrying the art critic Robert Goldwater and will become the first woman artist to get a restrospective at MoMA, in 1982. The theme of the couple is at the center of her work and is represented here by two fountains which connect to each other through a water pipe among other sculptures. Her totems in different materials are omnipresent and a series of prints related to her sister’s leg amputation is gripping.

Fountain Couple, 1999, Aluminum black patina and white paint, water with two totems in the back

Louise Bourgeois experimented with different mediums all along her career in sculpture. When she was studying in Paris before the war, Fernand Léger encouraged her towards sculpture rather than painting. She worked on wood and fabric but also bronze, plaster or latex in the 1960’s. She also used marble as a tribute to baroque 17 th century Italian sculptor Bernini. Aluminum is used in undulating curves and spirales, the complementary shapes of the couple. The human body and sex are omnipresent in her work and a white totem in bronze is particularly striking at the entrance of the gallery.

Baroque, 1970, marble, (yellow totem left) Untitled, 2002, fabric and stainless steel and right, 
Bronze, white painted, 1947 – 1949

Abused by her father as a young girl, Louise Bourgeois will have bouts of depression (a little man who hanged himself is in the show) and is constantly expressing her anxieties and negative memories. But maternity (she had two sons and adopted a third) and breast feeding are also important happy themes. I was particularly struck by the series of nine prints “Topiary (The Art of Improving Nature)” made in 1998 and related to her sister’s leg amputation hung in the back room. The level of suffering expressed in an almost comic way with the interconnection of trees and walking stick is very disturbing.

Topiary (The Art of Improving Nature) 9 Parties / Parties 9/9 (1998)

This exhibition is very beautiful and very complete, showing fountains, sculptures, totems, drawings, paintings and prints. Do not miss it, it will last until August 21 at Galerie Karsten Greve, 5 rue Debelleyme in the Marais.