Who, Where, When, Why, What

Cat. No. 542.2/IV

Who, Where, When, Why, What

State/Variant:
Version 2 of 2, state IV of VIII
Date:
1999
Themes
Architecture, Music, Words
Techniques
Drypoint
Support:
Smooth, wove paper, with music paper chine collé
Dimensions:
plate: 11 7/8 x 9 13/16" (30.1 x 25 cm); sheet: 15 1/4 x 11 1/8" (38.7 x 28.2 cm)
Signature:
"Louise Bourgeois." lower right margin, pencil.
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
1 known impression of version 2, state IV
Edition Information:
Not issued as a published edition at any state.

The "AP" inscription, in the artist's hand, does not indicate a conventional A.P. impression, as this composition was not issued as a published edition at any state.
Impression:
Not numbered
Background:
In August of 1999, the Dalai Lama spoke at several well-attended events in New York City. Bourgeois's son, Jean-Louis, requested that his mother execute a benefit print to raise money for the Dalai Lama’s cause about a month prior to the speaking engagements. Although Bourgeois created this composition, the benefit project did not come to fruition and this print was never published.
Curatorial Remarks:
A variant impression of version 2, state IV was sold at Phillips, New York, “Editions” auction on November 23, 2008, as lot 90. The description lists a "numbered edition of 25 and 7 artist's proofs, published by Harlan & Weaver, New York." According to Felix Harlan of Harlan & Weaver, this composition was never published.
Description:
Drypoint, with chine collé, and red ink additions
Inscription:
"AP" lower left margin, pencil, artist's hand.
State Changes and Additions:
Matrices:
The progression of version 2, as seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram below, involved 3 plates.
Plate 1: contours of composition and shading of capital W’s, in drypoint; printed in red or black.
Plate 2: shading of house borders and segments of smoke, in aquatint; printed in red or black.
Plate 3: smoke spiral, reconfigured text, and contours of capital W’s in soft ground etching; printed in red or black.

State Changes:
Plate 1 printed in red.
Changes from version 1: composition reconfigured with text in boxes within a house shape, in drypoint.
Changes from version 2, state III, in drypoint: “DALAI LAMA.” text added.
Additions in red ink: “DALAI LAMA.” text reinforced; contours of house filled in, in anticipation of version 2, state V.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
891.2008
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Who, Where, When, Why, What

1999-2008

Source

1999

Who Where When Why What
First Version
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Second Version
Who Where When Why What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What
Who, Where, When, Why, What

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