Corner Piece​

‘Corner Piece’ (1947 – 1949, cast 1991) by Louise Bourgeois is an extraordinary work from the artist’s landmark Personage series. Composed of over 80 works created between 1946 and 1954, the Personages mark Bourgeois’s debut as a sculptor. Though she had previously worked as a painter, she felt she “could express much deeper things in three dimensions.” [1] Considered en masse, the Personages constitute a response to psychological isolation and mourning. These works were made in the wake of Bourgeois’s immigration to the United States from France in 1938 and served as stand-ins for the family and friends she left behind. Each is bestowed with a personality by dint of its shape and articulation, and they often have a sense of vulnerability. As Bourgeois said, “‘Corner Piece’ is protected by two perpendicular walls. It needs the protection because it is fragile. It doesn't dare to come forth and state itself." [2]

‘Corner Piece’ was originally constructed from wood. It was shown in Bourgeois’s first exhibition of sculpture in 1949, where the Personages were installed in loose groupings drilled directly into the floor. This allowed the viewer to walk among the works as if at a party and serves as an early example of environmental installation.