Cat. No. 1135, unique variant 2, in 1260
Untitled, no. 1 of 2, from the series, What Hurts
- State/Variant:
- Unique variant
- Date:
- 2007
- Series:
- What Hurts
- Themes
- Abstraction, Fabric Works
- Techniques
- Etching
- Support:
- panel (a): Fabric over paper
panels (b), (c), (d), (f), and (g): Smooth, wove handmade paper
panel (e): Fabric over paper - Dimensions:
- plate (a), (c), (e), and (g) (each): 60 3/16 × 15 3/4" (152.8 × 40 cm); plate (e): 60 1/4 × 18 13/16" (153 × 47.8 cm); sheet: 61 3/4 × 135" (156.8 × 342.9 cm)
- Signature:
- panel (c): "LB" lower right comp., pencil.
panel (e): "LB" lower right comp., pencil.
panel (g): "LB" lower right comp., pencil. - Publisher
- Osiris
- Printer
- Wingate Studio
- Edition:
- Unique
- 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 the impressions in MoMA's Collection. The sheet dimensions were provided by the Louise Bourgeois Studio.
The hand additions on panel (e) are on the paper, which is covered by fabric. It is thus difficult to determine the mediums of the hand additions. The hand additions might be red gouache or watercolor additions. - Description:
- panel (a): Soft ground etchings
panel (b): Pencil
panel (c): Soft ground etching, with red gouache additions
panel (d): Pencil
panel (e): Soft ground etching, with hand additions (see Curatorial Remarks)
panel (f): Pencil
panel (g): Soft ground etching, with red gouache additions - Inscription:
- panel (b): "to be hurt / or / the fear to be hurt" center sheet, pencil, artist's hand.
panel (d): "what hurts? / to be abandonned [sic] / to be criticized / to be attacked / to be asked too much / to be used / to be refused" center sheet, pencil, artist's hand.
panel (f): "to be found out / to fail / to be discouraged / to be ignored / to be laughed at" center sheet, pencil, artist's hand. - State Changes and Additions:
- Matrices:
This 7-panel composition uses 2 plates that were issued as separate editions. They are listed below and can be seen in Related Works in the Catalogue.
panel (a): plate from "Knots"
There are 2 impressions on this panel, one printed on sheer fabric that overlaps one printed on paper.
panel (c): plate from "Knots"
For this panel, the plate is in the reverse orientation of the impressions of the only state in MoMA's Collection.
panel (e): plate from "The Twist" and "Knots"
"The Twist" is printed on sheer fabric that overlaps "Knots" printed on paper.
panel (g): plate from "Knots"
For this panel, the plate is in the reverse orientation of the impressions of the only state in MoMA's Collection. - Installation Remarks:
- This composition is one of 3 that constitute a single work of art. All of these compositions are to be exhibited together in the indicated sequence.
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
Open to compare works
Select a work in the diagram below
Unique variant
2007
A
B
Not in the Least ; No. 1 of 2, from the series, What Hurts
2007
Unique Variants
Published
Not in MoMA's Collection
Unique variant
2007
Not in MoMA's Collection
<i>Not in the Least</i>
2007
Published
Not in MoMA's Collection
Unique variant
2007
Not in MoMA's Collection
Untitled, no. 1 of 2, from the series,<i> What Hurts</i>
2007
Series
2007
Published
Not in MoMA's Collection
What Hurts
2007
Not in MoMA's Collection
<i>What Hurts</i>
2007
Related Works in the Catalogue
Published
The Twist
Only state
2007
<i>The Twist</i>
2007
Published
Knots
Only state
2006
<i>Knots</i>
2006
Publication Excerpts
Louise Bourgeois,
What Hurts,
New York, Osiris, 2007Bourgeois's entire text for this series appears on the panels cited below.
No. 1:
to be hurt
or
the fear to be hurt
what hurts?
to be abandonned [sic]
to be criticized
to be attacked
to be asked too much
to be used
to be refused
to be found out
to fail
to be discouraged
to be ignored
to be laughed at
No. 2:
Distrust
tears
anger
withdrawl
Cry
Baby
The wounded lion