Elements of Surrealist practices in contemporary visual art: Louise Bourgeois’ critical reworking of Surrealism

Table of Contents

• Abstract
• Personal Statement
• Introduction
• Chapter 1
  • Rephrasing the Surrealist object
• Chapter II
  • On unstable ground: The unconscious as one of the foundations of Bourgeois' art
• Chapter III
  • Between the personal and the political: Transforming and reworking Surrealism
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Illustrations

Objectives and Key Themes

This research project aims to evaluate the extent to which Louise Bourgeois utilizes Surrealist practices in her work. The project also investigates how Bourgeois critiques the practices of historical Surrealism and how she adapts those practices to encompass new themes, specifically feminist themes.

• The use of Surrealist practices in Louise Bourgeois' art
• Bourgeois' critical reworking of Surrealist practices
• Feminist themes in Bourgeois' art
• The relationship between Bourgeois' personal experiences and her art
• The role of the unconscious in Bourgeois' artistic process

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 examines the interpretation of Bourgeois' work by art historians and critics since the 1980s. This chapter specifically looks at how the "Surrealist object" is used in Bourgeois' installations and how the female body is presented, or not presented, within those installations.

Chapter 2 explores works that allude to the unconscious and psychoanalysis, such as the installations "Arch of Hysteria" (1992/3) and "Precious Liquids" (1992). This chapter also delves into Bourgeois' own comments on her work and the relationship between her art and her personal experiences.

Chapter 3 investigates the social, political, and cultural context of the 1960s and 1970s and how Bourgeois responded to those influences in her art. This chapter explores the story of Bourgeois' personal experiences as a young girl in France and how those experiences, as well as the changing art world, impacted her artistic process.

Keywords

This work focuses on Surrealist practices in contemporary visual art, Louise Bourgeois' art, feminist themes, the unconscious, and the relationship between personal experiences and artistic creation.