Who, Where, When, Why, What

Cat. No. 542.2/I, variant 2

Who, Where, When, Why, What

State/Variant:
Version 2 of 2, state I of VIII, variant
Date:
1999
Themes
Architecture, Words
Techniques
Drypoint
Support:
Smooth, wove paper
Dimensions:
plate: 11 7/8 x 9 13/16" (30.1 x 25 cm); sheet: 14 7/8 x 11" (37.8 x 28 cm)
Signature:
"LB" lower right margin, pencil.
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
3 known variant impressions of version 2, state I
Edition Information:
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:
It is possible that the light gray strokes on this impression catalogued as black ink may in fact be faded iodine, as referenced in the verso inscription. According to Bourgeois's assistant, Jerry Gorovoy, Bourgeois was experimenting with medicinal iodine as a drawing medium at the time. Three examples are seen below as Related Works in Other Mediums.

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 black, red, and blue ink additions
Inscription:
Verso: "Iodine #" center sheet, 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 black.
Changes from version 1: composition reconfigured with text in boxes within a house shape, in drypoint.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
886.2008
© 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

Related Works in the Catalogue

The Rectory
Plate 4 of 9, from the illustrated book, He Disappeared into Complete Silence, first edition (Example 1)
La Folie
Maison

Related Works in Other Mediums

Who, Where, When, Why, What
Spider Trees
Post Partum Depression of the Mother
The Five Magic Words