Louise Bourgeois

Until her death in 2010, Louise Bourgeois was the grand old lady of contemporary art. The 2007-8 retrospective at Tate Modern confirmed her reputation as one of the leading artists operating in the word at the time, and, even into her nineties, Bourgeois still had the ability to shock, challenge, and disturb.

Her most famous work (at least for UK audiences) is probably 1999's Maman, a giant spider that dominated the Tate Modern's Turbine hall when the gallery opened in 2000. Influenced by her own childhood - and, in particular, her father's adultery - Bourgeoise's sculptures and installations are characteristically rich in dark symbolism.

Web

• Wikipedia