Who, Where, When, Why, What

Cat. No. 542.2/VII, variant 1

Who, Where, When, Why, What

State/Variant:
Version 2 of 2, state VII of VIII, variant
Date:
2008
Themes
Architecture, Words
Techniques
Aquatint, Drypoint, Etching
Support:
Smooth, wove paper
Dimensions:
plate: 11 7/8 x 9 13/16" (30.1 x 25 cm); sheet: 18 1/8 x 12 7/8" (46 x 32.7 cm)
Signature:
Not signed
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
2 known variant impressions of version 2, state VII
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:
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, aquatint, and soft ground etching, with black ink additions
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 3 printed in black, over plates 1 and 2 printed in red.
Changes from version 1: composition reconfigured with text in boxes within a house shape, in drypoint.
Changes from version 2, state VI, by burnishing: all remaining text removed.
Changes from version 2, state VI, in soft-ground etching: smoke further delineated; outline of capital W’s reinforced and text reconfigured.
Changes from version 2, state VI, in drypoint: left and lower contour of house reconfigured.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
1571.2012
© 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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