Monday 14 January 2008

Art is a guaranty of Sanity




I went to the Tate Modern at the beginning of December, and the Louis Bourgeois Retrospective was showing. I have been putting off getting a membership, but suddenly it seemed all the more worthwhile, I wanted to see the show as many times as possible to really absorb it. I felt so privileged to have the opportunity to see so much of her work. It was a really emotional experience for me. She is one of my favourite artists and her work is really best seen in the flesh so to speak.

I identify with the way in which she uses art as a way of coming to terms with life. Her skill, the incredible layers of meaning in her metaphors, and frankly the tenacity with which she has continued to create for over half a century. There are further connections, the theme of thread and weaving that runs though her work, in her giant sculpture of spiders and fragments of tapestry and later soft sculptures. I went back again this weekend, thinking it would be th last time before the show ended, but fortunately I might just be able to go again before it closes net weekend.

I feel inspired to step forward and be brave and make and explore this little life of mine through my art, to really live it.

Apologies for the low quality of images, my scanner is not talking properly to my computer yet, negotiations are slow, but reconciliation is in sight.

1 comment:

Susan from Sisters, Oregon said...

Hi Sarah,
So I visited the Tate a million years ago and now live in Oregon wondering about that quote - art being the guaranty of sanity. Do you know where that came from? I think Kahlo is another who used art to come to terms with disturbing parts of her life...