Eccentric Growth I

Cat. No. 838, unique variant 1

Eccentric Growth I

State/Variant:
Unique variant
Date:
2006
Themes
Abstraction, Nature
Techniques
Etching
Support:
Smooth, wove handmade paper
Dimensions:
plate (a): 55 1/2 × 9 13/16" (141 × 25 cm); plate (b): 55 1/8 × 7 7/8" (140 × 20 cm); sheet: 58 1/2 × 38 1/8" (148.6 × 96.8 cm)
Signature:
panel (b): "Louise Bourgeois" right lower margin, pencil.
Publisher
Osiris
Printer
Wingate Studio
Edition:
Unique
Edition Information:
There are 8 unique variants titled "Eccentric Growth" I–VI and VIII–IX. According to the Louise Bourgeois Studio, "Eccentric Growth VII" was destroyed by the artist.
Impression:
Not numbered
Background:
Benjamin Shiff, the director of the Osiris imprint, collaborated with Bourgeois in a highly experimental phase of printmaking that occupied the last years of her life, from 2005 to 2010. He first established a working relationship with the artist in the 1990s, but the late period is particularly noteworthy for the innovative and complex large-scale projects that evolved at that time. Shiff made use of professional workshops for printing, but he oversaw the creation of the printing plates as Bourgeois worked on them in her home studio. He also provided assistance as she added extensive hand additions and texts, and as she combined individual compositions into multi-panel works and illustrated books.
Curatorial Remarks:
The plate dimensions are from impressions without hand additions in MoMA's Collection. The verso inscription could not be fully documented due to framing.
Description:
Soft ground etching, with selective wiping, and red ink, tan and white gouache, red pencil, and pencil additions
Inscription:
panel (a): "Eccentric growth" left lower margin, pencil, artist's hand. Verso: "# I" center sheet, colored pencil, artist's hand.
State Changes and Additions:
Matrices:
These unique variants were made using 2 plates printed side by side in different layouts. All include extensive hand additions. These plates were also printed alone and issued as 2 separate compositions, which are noted below and can be seen in Related Works in the Catalogue.

panel (a): plate from "Leaves”

panel (b): plate from "Swaying”
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist and Osiris, New York
MoMA Accession Number:
168.2018
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Eccentric Growth

2006

Unique Variants
Eccentric Growth I
Eccentric Growth II
Eccentric Growth III
Eccentric Growth IV
Eccentric Growth V
Eccentric Growth VI
Eccentric Growth VIII
Eccentric Growth IX

Related Works in the Catalogue

Leaves
Les Mollusques
Pendus Fragile
Tempête du Vent
Swaying
Couple

Related Works in Other Mediums

Forêt (Night Garden)
Eccentric Growth