LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Descriptive Title:

English translation: "Ode to Forgiving"

Themes:

Fabric Works, Words

Techniques:

Lithography

Description:

Lithograph

Support:

Fabric

Dimensions:

sheet: 8 3/4 x 8 1/4" (22.2 x 21 cm)

Signature:

"LB" right lower sheet, stitched in red thread.

Publisher:

Lison Editions, New York (Louise Bourgeois)

Printer:

SOLO Impression, New York

Edition:

3 known variant impressions of the only state

Impression:

Not numbered

Edition Information:

There are variations in the fabrics used in the 3 known impressions of this composition, as is commonly found in the old fabrics Bourgeois chose to use as printing surfaces. One example with a horizontal stripe pattern has not been reproduced, due to its similarity to the example seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram.

Background:

The text in this composition comes from Bourgeois's voluminous writings—in her diaries, on loose sheets, or on the verso of drawings. The specific source and date of this text are not known.

During the early 2000s, Bourgeois worked with SOLO Impression on the editioned version of "Ode à l'oubli," a book of fabric collages and two lithographed text pages. The phrases on those text pages came from her writings. Inspired by that collaboration, Bourgeois created several individual printed fabric works with lithographed texts.

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY