Experimental Sound Design... Maman

Research from looking at Maman...

29 feet made from bronze, marble and stainless steel

"Like a creature escaped from a dream, or a larger than life embodiment of a secret childhood fear"

CONTEXT
by Louise Bourgeois 
A French - American sculpture

Maman started in the late 1990s, the spider is used a lot in her work.

"The spider was an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother." - Bourgeois 

MEANING
The sculpture picks up on the theme of the arachnid that Bourgeois had first designed in a small ink and charcoal drawing in 1947 continuing with her sculpture Spider (1996) 

Spider (1996) - smaller version of maman, 9ft tall, made from bronze, first edition made from steel.

It alludes to the strength of her mother with metaphors of spinning, weaving, nurture and protection.

When Bourgeois' mother died she jumped into the Biévre River because of how depressed she was, her father swam to save her. < could be useful within the project, shows how strongly she felt about her mother.

BACK TO MAMAN

maman similar to the french for my mother (ma mére) 

Thoughts on Maman from 'Art and Education' 

- 'They can evoke potent but differing emotions, from childhood curiosity and playfulness, to terror and imobilising fear.'

- Eventually I did enter its architecturally protective legs and looked up to see that she was carrying beautifully shaped white marble eggs. Standing inside her architectural  space I felt a strong, space, maternal presence, a positive energy directed on me like a moments reflection. 

Other opinion:

- Now confronted by the huge predator she felt an almighty dread and immediately panicked. Switching survival mode, her only thought was to escape. With adrenaline rushing through her body and a 'stinging tingling felling in her lips she quickly looked for a door to go through so that she could get a way from its intimidating stance. She was very frightened by the possibility of being chased by its threatening legs that could run faster than her in any direction it chooses. 

By comparing the writer and her friends reaction it shows 2 very contrasting opinions of maman. Which I hope to show in my work.