What You Look Like

Cat. No. 922, unique variant 4

What You Look Like

State/Variant:
Only state, unique variant
Date:
2007
Alternate Title:
Passages
Themes
Abstraction
Techniques
Etching
Support:
Paper
Dimensions:
plate (a and c) (each): 59 7/8 × 16 3/4" (152.1 × 42.6 cm); sheet: 59 3/4 × 54" (151.8 × 137.2 cm)
Signature:
panel (c): "LB" lower right comp.
Publisher
Osiris
Printer
Wingate Studio
Edition:
Unique
Edition Information:
This is one of 7 unique variants outside the edition to incorporate this plate, printed alone or in combination with another plate in a multi-panel work. 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:
"Passages (#1)"
"Passages (#2)"
"Passages (#3)"
"What You Look Like"

See Related Works in the Catalogue:
Untitled, no. 4 of 4, from the series, "Differentiate"
Untitled, no. 2 of 4, from the series, "Have a Little Courage"
Untitled, no. 1 of 3, from the series, "Jalouse"

About the "Passages" edition:
There is 1 known impression of the only state, outside the edition. It is inscribed "first proof" in the lower left composition by the artist, and signed "Louise Bourgeois" in the lower right composition, both in pencil.

There are 2 known cancellation proofs, each with a large "X" drawn across the composition from each corner of the plate.

Impression 2/19 is inscribed by the artist "Two Over" in the lower left composition in pencil, above the impression number. It is signed in the lower right composition, also in pencil. It is not illustrated, due to its similarity to the impression seen here.
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 the impression in MoMA's Collection. The sheet dimensions were provided by the Louise Bourgeois Studio.
Description:
panel (a): Soft ground etching, with watercolor and gouache additions
panel (b): Pencil
panel (c): Soft ground etching, with watercolor and gouache additions
Inscription:
panel (b): "what you look like / what you wear / what you say / what you want / what you do" center sheet, pencil, artist's hand.
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Passages

2006-2007

States
Passages
Unique Variants
Passages (#1)
Passages (#2)
Passages (#3)
What You Look Like

Related Works in the Catalogue

The Twist
The Passage
The Passage
Just Like Me
Losing It
Untitled, no. 1 of 3, from the series, Jalouse
Untitled, no. 2 of 4, from the series, Have a Little Courage
Untitled, no. 4 of 4, from the series, Differentiate

Related Works in Other Mediums

Passage Dangereux
The Passage