The Conversation

Cat. No. 828, unique variant 1

The Conversation

State/Variant:
Only state, unique variant
Date:
2006
Themes
Abstraction
Techniques
Etching
Support:
Paper (3 attached sheets)
Dimensions:
plate (each): 55 13/16 × 18 13/16" (141.8 × 47.8 cm); sheet (overall): 59 1/4 × 59" (150.5 × 149.9 cm)
Signature:
panel (c): "LB" lower right comp., pencil.
Publisher
Osiris
Printer
Wingate Studio
Edition:
Unique
Edition Information:
This is one of 4 unique variants to incorporate this unpublished plate, printed alone or in combination with other plates multi-panel works. When the plate is used alone, the work is included in the Evolving Composition Diagram. When it is printed with another plate, it is included in Related Works in the Catalogue.

See Evolving Composition Diagram:
"The Conversation"
"You Are As I Am"

See Related Wokrs in the Catalogue:
"You Are Heading For It"
Untitled, no. 3 of 3, from the series, "I Want to Talk About Magic"

This plate was not issued as a published edition. There are 2 known cancellation proofs, each with a large "X" drawn across the composition from each corner of the plate.
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 color of the hand additions and paper type could not be documented because this work is not in MoMA's Collection and could not be examined in person. The plate dimensions are from impressions in MoMA's Collection. The overall sheet dimensions were provided by the Louise Bourgeois Studio.
Description:
panel (a): Soft ground etching, with watercolor, gouache, and pencil additions
panel (b): Soft ground etching, with watercolor, gouache, pencil additions, and paper collage
panel (c): Soft ground etching, with watercolor, gouache, and pencil additions
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Untitled; The Conversation ; You Are As I Am

2006-2008

States
Untitled
Unique Variants
The Conversation
You Are As I Am

Related Works in the Catalogue

Untitled, no. 3 of 3, from the series, I Want To Talk About Magic
Untitled
You Are Heading For It
Untitled, no. 12 of 15, from the illustrated book, Sublimation
Losing It

Related Works in Other Mediums

Spring