PLAY LIST

6/1/11

LOUISE BOURGEIOS at CHEIM & READ

http://ArtChick1.blogspot.com

The Waiting Hours - 2007


While on my gallery art walk in Chelsea I decided to view Louise Bourgeois "The Fabric Works" exhibition which opened at Cheim and Read recently and runs through June 25th.  When entering the gallery what was amazing to me was that what looked like abstract drawings or paintings, are actually made from scraps of clothes and other domestic materials that Bourgeois had collected over many years... this was not unusual, as she was brought up and worked as a young child in a family business involved in restoration of textiles.

Installation View - The Waiting Hours - 2007

Most people who are more familiar with her sculptures of large and small spiders, also sexual body parts, will be delighted and enchanted by these stitchings of  lyrical collages and assemblages.
"...touching upon  'woman's work.'  The pieces are perfect sketches in themselves, but seen as a series they make a much greater impression than individually"... Art Ravels

The excellent installation of these works at Cheim and Read gives a remarkable view of Bourgeois' variations on several themes: the allusion of landscape, black and white op-art and some exciting geometric coordination, as well as including various textured and colorful fabrics all from the collection of her "personal closet"

Eugenie Grandet, 2009 Bourgeios' use of collage and the art of embroidery on vintage tea towels (back gallery) made me think of the  extraordinary focus and hours needed to complete just one properly and the non-traditional way these were presented

"The Fabric Works" Full Color Exhibition Catalogue is available at the gallery.

Cheim and Read is located at 547 West 25th Street in Chelsea.  Exhibition continues through June 25th