Louise Bourgeois’ untouched New York home

There was a lovely piece in the Telegraph yesterday about the home and workspace of artist Louise Bourgeois, which has been preserved since her death in 2010. It’s in Chelsea, New York – not far from the High Line I think – and it’s in the process of being converged with the neighbouring house to become a centre for scholars that will open next year. The artist famously had a fear of abandonment linked with her childhood and made aggressive works about her father. She had been something of a hoarder in life, so in between the peeling walls of the house is an abundance of stuff – boxes of fabrics, used tubes of paint, old hairbrushes – the hair still on them, biscuit tins, empty bottles and such. When her eyesight had deteriorated she started writing important phone numbers on the walls above her fireplace – we’re an inch away from doing that here in the office.

Louise Bourgeois | house tour | My Friend's House
Louise Bourgeois house | Artist's spaces | My Friend's House
Louise Bourgeois' untouched house | artist's homes | My Friend's House

Her huge pin board is filled with photographs of her three children, her childhood home and a photograph of herself with Tracy Emin who she worked with on a series of paintings not long before her death. A newspaper clipping of a headline also pinned there reads – ‘Does feminism conflict with artistic standards?’

Read the full feature for a more detailed account of the artist, including some touching accounts from her friend and long-time assistant Jerry Gorovoy.  Their friendship began with her giving him a sharp telling off for how he curated her work in a Soho gallery in 1980, but they later became friends. I boasted once before about how I interviewed Louise Bourgeois. It was only over email, but I’m enjoying imagining that Jerry took down her answers in this busy apartment before sending them back to me.

 

 

5 Responses to “Louise Bourgeois’ untouched New York home”

  1. Hannah Walker
    June 18, 2014 at 6:14 pm #

    I love the thought of Jerry writing down your answers too.

  2. Carol Grantham
    June 25, 2014 at 7:57 am #

    Thank you for sharing this article and evocative pictures. I will be sure to visit the house, and perhaps take a short course at the new centre, when I can next get to New York. In the meantime I shall muse over the question Louise posed – Does Feminism conflict with artistic standards!

  3. Edward Bleu
    July 1, 2014 at 12:48 pm #

    I like the door design. The sky blue is just right. Thanks

  4. RugSource
    August 15, 2014 at 10:13 pm #

    That house is so inviting! It’s just a place to be creative and inspired. Must visit place, undoubtedly!

  5. Lin Mathias
    January 27, 2015 at 7:41 pm #

    I am in New York in June. Can I visit the apartment. I have been studying her work at Hereford College of Arts & I love her.
    Kind regards Lin x

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