Louise Bourgeois at the Hayward Gallery

Louise Bourgeois is one of my favourite artists. It was an incredible show, to see her work in the flesh was amazing. I have books on her but the scale of the works, the details and the precise quality of the execution was breathtaking. This never comes across in the books. I will go back a few times while it is on because there is so much to take in. Across 4 or 5 rooms the work spans across the last 20 years of her life. 

I feel I understand her work through my practice. She was influenced and inspired to explore her childhood throughout her. Her work focused on the pain and deception she felt from her Father and his mistress (her tutor), how her mother dealt with this issue and her own parenting journey. Although I didn't have these same issues growing up I still feel the need to work through my childhood to make work and understand the past and the passing of time and people. I also use fabric, thread and body parts (mainly hands) in my work. This gives me a connection to her work where I feel I understand where she is coming from and how she uses her material. It also inspires me to make 'mum art' which I have tried to avoid in the past. This seems ridiculous to me now. How can such a huge part of my life not influence my work. LB makes me want to create and work, like she did, without rest until I am also 90 years old!