Louise Bourgeois

Spirals

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About this artwork

These prints were made using traditional Japanese printmaking methods. The grain of the wood gives a unique texture to each sheet. The spiral is a recurring image in Bourgeois’s work. As well as representing dual forces, Bourgeois noted that it signified both "control and freedom". This work also demonstrates how Bourgeois often arranged prints in a grid to create a sense of order. Having studied mathematics and geometry, she remained interested in geometric forms, once noting that the grid "is a very peaceful thing".

Updated before 2020

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  • artist:
    Louise Bourgeois (1911 - 2010) American
  • title:
    Spirals
  • date created:
    2005
  • materials:
    12 oil-based woodcuts on Japanese handmade paper
  • measurements:
    Image, each: 35.60 x 42.20 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Lent by Artist Rooms Foundation 2013
  • accession number:
    AL00346
  • gallery:
This artwork is part of Artist Rooms
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Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois