At the time of its acquisition in 1989, Vallee de la Rivière sans berge [Valley of the limitless river] c#1968–86 constituted the most ambitious known drawing by Louise Bourgeois. A vividly coloured composition extending over four large sheets of paper, the work is exceptional in that it not only foretold aspects of the style of a number of younger contemporary artists working in New York in the 1970s and 80s, but in that its abstract forms—known as cumuls—are among the most characteristic ‘signature’ motifs of Bourgeois’ repertoire.^[i] The cumuls, the name of which alludes to cumulous cloud formations, first appeared in Bourgeois’ marble sculptures from 1967.

Following an extended period of deep introspection and intensive psychoanalysis, Bourgeois began making works in the early 1960s that were markedly different in form and style from the angular rigidity typical of early masterpieces such as C.O.Y.O.T.E. 1941–48. Suggesting the topographical undulations of rolling hills, biomorphic forms or the anthropomorphic contours of breasts as much as cloud-filled skies, for Bourgeois the cumuls denoted fecundity—defined as an abundance of both biological and intellectual fertility. Similarly, the river running through the image, which might literally be identified as the Bièvre River that flowed through the garden of the Bourgeois family house and tapestry business in Antony near Paris and in which coloured tapestry yarns were washed, is engendered by the artist and leads to many possible autobiographic and metaphoric interpretations. Implying an inexhaustible process of germination and growth, the forms in Vallee de la Rivière sans berge mapped the unfolding progression of Bourgeois’ own artistic process, while also alluding to her lifelong compulsion to endlessly dwell on compelling memories from her childhood.

Sally Foster

^[i] See ‘Abstracted emotions’ in Deborah Wye, Louise Bourgeois: an unfolding portrait: prints, books and the creative process, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2017, pp 63–5.