LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Themes:

Abstraction, Fabric Works, Music, Objects

Techniques:

Screenprint

Description:

Screenprint

Support:

Fabric

Dimensions:

sheet: 15 1/8 × 11 3/8" (38.4 × 28.9 cm)

Signature:

"LB" lower right comp. title sheet, red screenprint.
"LB" lower right margin no. 24, stitched in red thread.

Publisher:

Lison Editions, New York (Louise Bourgeois)

Printer:

Dyenamix, New York

Edition:

12; plus 2 A.P.

Impression:

A.P. 2/2

Edition Information:

Variations in the use of multiple shades of red appear across the edition. Therefore, the same composition may be printed in different shades of red in different sets.

There are variations in the fabrics used in this edition, as is commonly found in the old fabrics Bourgeois chose to use as printing surfaces.

Dimensions throughout the edition vary slightly because of hemming and stretching fluctuations.

Background:

The forms of "Lullaby" were derived from tracings done by the artist of objects she owned. The artist's assistant, Jerry Gorovoy has identified some of the objects as: a sardine can, oval candy box, pair of metal cutting shears, knife, magnifying glass, and a dish. The final forms result from the artist moving the objects around and combining the traced shapes.

The series of source drawings for “Lullaby” is comprised of 21 compositions and a title sheet. Bourgeois indicated that the compositions in the drawing series may be installed in any order, with the title sheet placed at the beginning or end of the series. However, according to the Louise Bourgeois Studio, when the artist created the “Lullaby” print series, she added three compositions and set a precise sequence as she began to see the forms as equivalent to music notes that could be placed in order like in a musical score.

The background of the sheets is printed to resemble music paper, which Bourgeois favored for drawings and can be found in her work as far back as the early 1940s. She returned to it as a drawing surface in 1994-95, at the time of her "Insomnia Drawings" series, when she listened to music during the night. She used it frequently in the years that followed.

For nearly a decade, from 1997 to 2006, Bourgeois worked with tracings for several drawing projects and one print project, entitled "Nothing to Remember," in addition to the "Lullaby" print series.

Installation Remarks:

This composition is one of 24 that, with the title sheet, constitute a single work of art. The 24 compositions must be exhibited together and in the indicated sequence, with the title sheet placed at the beginning or end of the series.

Curatorial Remarks:

Due to the nature of the mounting and framing of this work, the verso could not be examined.

Other Remarks:

Regarding the title of the series, the Louise Bourgeois Studio has said that, "the relationship of the mother to the child is the predominant element of 'Lullaby.' The curving quality of the forms refers to the rocking that the mother does to put the child to sleep, hence the title."

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

1352.2009.19

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY