Revisiting Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois has been a strong influence on my work since I have turned to soft sculpture. I find my work to be considerably similar to Bourgeois’ fabric sculptures in form and occasionally subject matter. The use of the human body within Bourgeois’ work portrayed through the use of soft sculpture really interested me as my work has always centralized around the portrayal of the human body through art and I have found her works have really influenced my recent work.

I focused on Bourgeois when writing my context essay and found that she was never formally associated with a particular movement. I don’t associate my own work with a particular movement or style, I think this is partly because I am still experimenting within the medium of sculpture; of which I am still new to. I also think that it’s because I have been heavily influenced by Bourgeois’ own unique style and way of working.

One main difference between the way I work and the way Bourgeois made work is the method behind it, Bourgeois used psychoanalysis to access her subconscious to make work that translated her memories and emotions. I make work to be assessed by lecturers within an educational context. I think that to a point, I make work as a theraputic outlet, however with the added pressure of deadlines it becomes quite difficult to continue, and enjoy, this.