If Louise Bourgeois‘ gigantic spider sculptures are anything to go by, the French artist has always been a force to be reckoned with, both during her lifetime and in her legacy. The sheer fact that Bourgeois lived until 98 (Pablo Picasso reached 91 and Yayoi Kusama is currently 94, by way of comparison) means that the revered artist not only witnessed, but actively participated in the social and art historical paradigms of her time.
Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) Head Curator of International Art, Justin Paton says Bourgeois always saw art as ‘a route to self-knowledge’. It is with this in mind that the upcoming Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day? is ‘a show of light and dark’, one that highlights ‘the back and forth of her practice,’ says Paton.