Louise Bourgeois. Who, Where, When, Why, What (1999)

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Louise Bourgeois. Who, Where, When, Why, What. 1999

NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION

Cat. No. 542.2/V, variant

Who, Where, When, Why, What

State/Variant:: Version 2 of 2, state V of VIII, variant
Date:: 1999

Themes:: Architecture, Music, Words
Techniques:: Aquatint, Drypoint
Description:: Drypoint and aquatint, with chine collé
Support:: Paper, with music paper chine collé
Dimensions:: plate: 11 7/8 x 9 13/16" (30.1 x 25 cm); sheet: 17 5/8 x 13 1/2" (44.8 x 34.3 cm)
Signature:: "Louise Bourgeois" lower right margin, pencil.
Inscription:: "AP" lower left margin, pencil, artist's hand.
Publisher:: unpublished
Printer:: Harlan & Weaver, New York
Edition:: 3 known impressions of version 2, state V
Impression:: Not numbered
Edition Information:: The "AP" inscription, in the artist's hand, does not indicate a conventional A.P. impression, as this composition was not issued as a published edition at any state.

The third known impression of this state is not illustrated, due to its similarity to the impression in MoMA's Collection (Accession Number: 1569.2012).

Not issued as a published edition at any state.
State Changes and Additions:: Matrices:
The progression of version 2, as seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram below, involved 3 plates.
Plate 1: contours of composition and shading of capital W’s, in drypoint; printed in red or black.
Plate 2: shading of house borders and segments of smoke, in aquatint; printed in red or black.
Plate 3: smoke spiral, reconfigured text, and contours of capital W’s in soft ground etching; printed in red or black.

State Changes:
Plate 2 printed in red, over plate 1 printed in red.
Changes from version 1: composition reconfigured with text in boxes within a house shape, in drypoint.
Changes from version 2, state IV, in aquatint: borders of house, door, roof, chimney, and segments of smoke filled in.
Background:: In August of 1999, the Dalai Lama spoke at several well-attended events in New York City. Bourgeois's son, Jean-Louis, requested that his mother execute a benefit print to raise money for the Dalai Lama’s cause about a month prior to the speaking engagements. Although Bourgeois created this composition, the benefit project did not come to fruition and this print was never published.
Curatorial Remarks:: The plate dimensions could not be documented because this impression is not in MoMA's Collection and could not be examined in person. The plate dimensions are from the impressions in MoMA’s Collection. The sheet dimensions come from the following auction catalogue: "Editions." Phillips, New York, 23 November 2008. Lot 90.

This variant impression of version 2, state IV was sold at Phillips, New York, “Editions” auction on November 23, 2008, as lot 90. The description lists a "numbered edition of 25 and 7 artist's proofs, published by Harlan & Weaver, New York." According to Felix Harlan of Harlan & Weaver, this composition was never published.