2013.04.10 Wed, by Translated by: 刘思宇
Louise Bourgeois Exhibition

“Alone and Together”, the solo exhibition by Louise Bourgeois at Faurschou Foundation (27.10.12 — 24.03.13), has just been named Best Show of 2012 by a local listings magazine. Certainly, it is not often that such a 20th Century titan is flown in to cleanse the palate in 798 – where most art is served “fresh,” “hot,” and “young”, but can only desire the undisputed artistic value that Bourgeois’ name denotes. The exhibition included a number of large and small sculptural works; strange bended breasts, polished polyps, ungainly pinkish totems, congealed, oversexed mounds, clasping figures, a cage-like installation and that infamous spider brought us momentarily into Bourgeois’ internal land as we moved about the space and peered into pristine glass cases where such inhabitants rested. It was certainly an impressive show, if not quite reaching the visceral heights that led Robert Hughes to describe “a queer troglodytic quality, like something pale under a log….” (in reaction to Bourgeois 1982 MoMA retrospective in New York).  Faurschou Foundation’s reverent halls in Beijing will next play host to Shirin Neshat (from April 13).

Louise Bourgeois, “The Couple,” Aluminium, Hanging, 365.1 x 200 x 109.9 cm, 2003. (Work provided by Cheim & Read and Hauser & Wirth; Photo by Jonathan Leijonhufvud, Louise Bourgeois Trust Licensed by VAGA, NY)

Louise Bourgeois, “In and Out,” Metal, Glass, Plaster, Fabric, Plastic, Unit Struction: 205.74 x 210.8 x 210.8 cm; Plastic Part: 195 x 170 x 290 cm, 1995. (Work provided by Easton Foundations; Photo by Jonathan Leijonhufvud, Louise Bourgeois Trust Licensed by VAGA, NY)