This giant spider sculpture sits in Qatar’s National Convention Centre – an unexpected home that makes it all the more striking. It stops visitors in their tracks, allowing them to encounter breathtaking art in an everyday setting.
Bourgeois captures a fragile moment, where a protective mother carries her eggs. She explores the meaning of motherhood and alludes to the strength of her own mother, whom she lost at the age of twenty-one.
Her mother repaired tapestries in her father's textile workshop, so the metaphors of spinning and weaving are striking. The sculpture draws onlookers in, connecting them to personal memories around the early stages of life.
“The spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. Spiders are friendly presences that are helpful and protective, just like my mother. ”
PROJECT
Video produced for Qatar Museum’s Public Art Program, published in 2022.
RESULTS
Video hosted on YouTube and published on Qatar Museum's website. Additionally, a large set of still photographs were produced, including extras for website, archival, and communication purposes.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Head of production: Paco Link
Senior producer: Erin Flemming
Production coordinator: Aimen Jen
Production: The Film House