Louise Bourgeois: Unconscious Memories - by Cloé Perrone & Geraldine Leardi & Philip Larratt-Smith (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Bourgeois' deeply personal Cell works placed in a timeless dialogue with the masterpieces of the Galleria Borghese

This volume follows an exhibition at the Galleria Borghese in Rome of works by Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010), one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Casted Memory revolves around the Cells: architectural spaces that Bourgeois first created in 1991 and continued to expand upon over the following decades, combining monumental dimensions with a profound and intense exploration of her individual microcosm. The Cells consist of large metal cages housing objects and sculptures from her own personal life, alongside specifically created works. Thus, the Cells become devices of an individual and collective memory through the union of private and social spheres. Bourgeois' works are displayed alongside pieces from the collection at the Galleria Borghese in a fruitful juxtaposition between ancient and contemporary art. The catalog, edited by Philip Larratt-Smith, Geraldine Leardi and Cloé Perrone, is enriched by critical contributions by the curators themselves, by Anastasia Diaz and by the scholars Émilie Bouvard and Ester Coen, as well as by an interview with Jerry Gorovoy by Carolina Sprovieri.

Review Quotes

Striking, sometimes restive encounters between the outsized surrealist rawness of her work and the glossy, staid formality of Canova, Bernini, Nicolas Cordier and far older Roman sculpture.--Maria Shollenbarger "Financial Times: How To Spend It"

The comparison underscores how the French-American artist used everyday materials like cotton cloths, towels, scraps of tapestry, and reused patterned garments, to animate her faces with charmingly idiosyncratic qualities.--Jo Lawson-Tancred "Artnet"