Maman (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maman |
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Maman at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
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| Artist | Louise Bourgeois |
| Year | 1999 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Stainless steel, bronze, marble |
| Dimensions | 9.3 x 8.9 x 10.2 m |
Maman is a giant spider sculpture created by the artist Louise Bourgeois in 1999. This amazing artwork is made from bronze, stainless steel, and marble. It is one of the largest sculptures in the world.
The sculpture stands over 30 feet tall and is more than 33 feet wide. Inside, it holds a sac with 32 marble eggs. The main body parts, like the abdomen and thorax, are made of shiny bronze.
The name "Maman" is a French word that means "Mother" or "Mommy." Louise Bourgeois made this sculpture as part of a special art project for the Tate Modern museum in London. The very first "Maman" was made of steel. Later, six more versions were made from bronze.
Louise Bourgeois chose a famous place called the Modern Art Foundry to help create her spider sculpture. She picked them because they were known for their excellent work.
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The Meaning Behind Maman
The idea of a spider was something Louise Bourgeois thought about for a long time. She first drew a spider in 1947. Later, she made another spider sculpture in 1996 before Maman.
This sculpture is a tribute to Bourgeois's own mother, Josephine. It uses spiders to show how strong and caring her mother was. Spiders spin webs, and her mother worked with textiles. She repaired old tapestries in her father's workshop in Paris.
Louise Bourgeois lost her mother when she was 21 years old. Her mother passed away from an illness. This was a very sad time for Louise.
The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.
Where to Find Maman Permanently
Several museums and art centers around the world own a Maman sculpture. These are places where you can usually see the giant spider all the time.
- Tate Modern, UK – This museum bought its Maman sculpture in 2008. It is the only one made from stainless steel. It was shown in the Turbine Hall again in May 2025 to celebrate the gallery's 25th anniversary.
- National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada – This gallery bought its sculpture in 2004.
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain
- Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan – You can see this one outside the Mori Tower.
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, United States
- Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
- Qatar National Convention Center, Doha, Qatar
- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Past Exhibitions of Maman
The Maman sculpture has also traveled to many different places for special art shows. Here are some of the cities where it has been displayed:
- 2001: Rockefeller Center Plaza, New York, United States
- 2001: City Hall, The Hague, Netherlands
- 2002: State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- 2003: Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2005: Havana, Cuba
- 2006: Mariakerke, Ostend, Belgium
- 2007: Wanås Castle, Sweden
- 2008: Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France
- 2008: Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
- 2007–2008: Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, United States
- 2008–2009: Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
- 2011: Fundacion Proa, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 2011: Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM), São Paulo, Brazil
- 2011: Bundesplatz, Bern, Switzerland
- 2011: Bürkliplatz, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2011: Place Neuve, Geneva, Switzerland
- 2011–2012: Beyeler Foundation, Riehen/Basel, Switzerland
- 2012: Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany
- 2012: Qatar National Convention Centre, Qatar – This was the first time Bourgeois's work was shown alone in the Middle East.
- 2012–2013: Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan
- 2013-2014: Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico
- 2015: Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2015: Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
- 2020: Museum Voorlinden, The Hague, Netherlands
- 2020–2021: Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal
- 2022: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens, Greece
- 2023: Palace Park in Oslo, Norway
- 2023–2024: Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
See also
In Spanish: Mamá (escultura) para niños
- Cultural depictions of spiders
- List of artworks by Louise Bourgeois
Gallery
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At the National Gallery, Ottawa, Canada
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At the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
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At Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico
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At Bürkliplatz, Zurich, Switzerland, 2011
