Louise Bourgeois, Eye Benches

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Louise Bourgeois

An important representation of Louise Bourgeois’s distinguished legacy, Eye Benches are two surrealistic eyes carved out of black zimbabwe granite blocks. These arresting disembodied sculptures–each approximately 4’ x 4’ feet—also serve as places of rest.
With a career spanning eight decades, from the 1930s to her passing in 2020, Bourgeois is one of the greatest figures of modern and contemporary art. She was the first female artist to receive a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and her work graces the collections of the world’s leading museums.
Regarding Eye Benches, Bourgeois famously noted: “Whether it is an eye that sees the reality of things or whether it is an eye that sees a world of fantasy...It is the quality of your eyes and the strength of your eyes that are expressed here. Nobody is going to keep me from seeing what is instead of what I would like.” Seemingly seeking to determine what is and what is not, the eyes languidly follow viewers as they move about. Once seated, the viewer becomes an integral part of the installation, now watching instead of being watched, and joining the eyes in their incessant search for truth.