Bourgeois- Maman Flashcards
(30 cards)
What does Maman depict and symbolise?
A monumental spider with 17 marble eggs—symbolising motherhood, protection, and fear. Title means “mummy” in French.
How does Bourgeois view the spider?
As a reassuring maternal figure—patient, clever, protective—but also predator-like in scale.
What deeper ideas does Maman explore?
Complex motherhood (e.g., Medea), childhood emotions, feminine strength, and duality (protector/predator).
What mythical or literary references are connected to Maman?
Arachne (Greek weaver turned spider), Medea (tragic mother), and themes of domestic betrayal.
How big is Maman and what effect does its scale have?
Over 9m tall—monumental and intimidating, evokes awe and fear
What is the sculpture’s structure like?
8 spindly legs (like Gothic arches), steel body, marble eggs in mesh sac beneath.
How does Bourgeois use form and texture?
Mix of smooth and ribbed textures; legs are stick-like and pointed; mesh reveals eggs above viewer.
How is gender suggested in the form?
Combines masculine (steel, structure) and feminine (eggs, motherhood) elements.
Why did Bourgeois create Maman and for whom?
Commissioned in 1999 for the Tate Modern’s 2000 opening.
What personal context influenced this work?
Father’s infidelity, mother’s death, and her own experiences of womanhood and loss.
What did Bourgeois say about her mother and spiders?
Saw her mother as a spider—calm, neat, a repairer like tapestry restorers.
How does maternity feature in her work?
Recurrent theme—both protective and threatening. Marble eggs relate to menstruation and creation.
Was she influenced by Surrealism?
Denied being a Surrealist but influenced by it—visited Brancusi’s studio in Paris.
What materials are used in Maman?
Stainless steel and marble—mixing industrial toughness with classical fragility.
Why are the eggs made of marble?
To contrast with steel; marble symbolises fragility and femininity.
How did Bourgeois see the role of materials?
Ideas came first; materials were secondary but still meaningful.
What methods and media did she experiment with?
Used both soft (cloth, latex) and hard (bronze, marble) materials. Emphasised assemblage as “reparative.”
Where else can Maman be found?
Casts are displayed worldwide (Bilbao, Seoul, Doha, etc.). Original is at Tate Modern.
What is the artwork’s market value?
Smaller bronze versions have sold for over $28 million.
How has Maman entered popular culture?
Appears in the film Enemy (2013) by Denis Villeneuve.
What did the Tate director say about receiving Maman?
Called it a “historic moment” for the museum in 2008.
What dualities are present in Maman?
Protector vs predator, strength vs vulnerability, masculine vs feminine, fear vs comfort.
How does Maman engage with the body?
It evokes bodily forms (nipples, eggs, phallic shapes), and references fertility, menstruation, and motherhood.
How does the viewer physically engage with Maman?
Can walk under and around it—creates a visceral, almost childlike experience of fear, awe, and intimacy.
