Louise Bourgeois – the fabric works

I’ve long admired Louise Bourgeois’ work and knew about her family’s textile background but these pieces, mostly produced in the last few years of her very long life (she lived to the age of 98 ) moved me in a way that caught me off-guard.

The textile pieces included framed works. She saved old fabrics: handkerchieves, teatowels and ticking, woven stripes, prints and checks then hand stitched and wove them into forms which are formally structured but sometimes reminded me of cobwebs, umbrellas and landscapes. I enjoyed the precision of the construction and quality of finish. The stitched and painted spirals were particularly satisfying.

Much of her work addresses fear and loss – these pieces showed focus and a form of hope to me, an additional strand to the other themes I’m more familiar with in her work. I was so impressed I bought the book as it was way too much to absorb in one visit.