On the occasion of the the iconic sculpture Maman by Louise Bourgeois brought to the Greek public by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and NEON, a rich program of educational workshops was designed and implemented, made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s grant for SNFCC’s operations and programming.

The primary objective of these workshops is to facilitate a deeper understanding and insight into the work of Bourgeois and the themes it reflects, while also introducing contemporary art to less in-the-know audiences.

Workshops for children

Art Game: The spider who traveled the world

How is such a massive sculpture constructed? What material is it made of? How is it transported? As is, or taken apart in pieces? And how is it reassembled afterwards? Does it fit inside museums, or do some have to place it outdoors? How many countries have hosted the giant spider thus far? With what other significant artworks has it come into contact during its travels? Did Louise Bourgeois always accompany her spider everywhere? When did Bourgeois make her first spider? Have you seen the spider in any other part of the world? What happened at the Guggenheim?

At this workshop, we will attempt to answer all of the above questions, thus becoming better acquainted with Louise Bourgeois’s best-known work, as well as the world’s museums!

At the end, children will build their own small-scale artwork, to be exhibited at their own impromptu museum, in their room or anywhere else they please.

Design – Implementation: Playroom

Implementation: Katerina Fotopoulou, visual artist

For children 5 tο 8 years old | Up to 20 participants per time slot

Sunday 17/07 & 31/07 | 18.30-19.15 & 19.30-20.15

Pine Grove

Microweaving Workshop: The spider as a weaver.

The iconic statue by Bourgeois, the portrayal of the spider, as well as the ambiguous symbols that may be identified in the work of the French sculptor, will serve as starting points for the workshops.

Participants will attempt a weaving approach to the spider archetype, but also come up with their own symbols, which they will translate into the weaving language by way of repetition.

Repetition is a very important practice, capable of gestating creation. As such it was embraced by Bourgeois, who used to revisit familiar patterns from time to time. Patterns constitute the fundamental vocabulary for all woven works, as can also be identified in the works of anonymous folk artists who have always used them as a means of communication.

In the context of the workshops, participants will develop various techniques and skills, using miscellaneous materials.

Session #1: The spider archetype

Yarn Weaving

In the first workshop, we will approach the concept of weaving and textile by way of the spider as a weaver’s archetype. We will observe the spider symbol in Bourgeois’s work and attempt to create a woven work with patterns and yarn.

Session #2: Physical repetition in sewing and weaving

Yarn Weaving

Louise Bourgeois managed her emotions through the creative use of her hands and the physical repetition of sewing and weaving. In the second session, we will talk about the physical repetition of weaving and employ yarn weaving techniques. We will design our own repetitive patterns, drawing inspiration from Maman.

Session #3: Free Weaving

Weaving with disparate materials

In the third session, we will see some non-weaving practices using disparate materials and yarns through a freer approach to weaving, in order to focus on the primary concept of the nest.

Session #4: Identity in Weaving

Woven works with yarn and natural materials

In the fourth session, we will talk about how a work is determined by its material. We will use some more rigid materials, such as wicker and tree branches, and will approach various weaving forms of expression.

Design – Implementation: Maro Fasouli, visual artist, Artworks Fellow

Workshop support: Konstantinos Koinos, student in visual arts

Up to 20 participants

Tuesday 5 & 19/7, 18.30-21.30

Monday 1/8, 18.30-21.30

Tuesday 13/9, 18.30-21.30

Mediterranean Garden

Sculpture Workshop: Transformations of Materials

During this workshop, we will be creating sculptures using simple everyday materials (participants may bring along materials from home!), which we will combine with clay, paper, etc.

In each workshop, we will draw inspiration from a different work by Louise Bourgeois:

The iconic Maman will lead us to focus on other insects, and apply some basic principles of physics on our sculptures.

Inspired by the Spiral Woman, we will create small-sized human forms, which we can hang up in our rooms.

Lastly, we will be drawing inspiration from Bourgeois’s maxim that “our body [may be viewed] … as a land with mounds and valleys and caves and holes… [It] is a figuration that appears in Mother Earth,” and will produce some relief creations.

Design – Implementation: Maro Michalakakou, visual artist

Workshop support: Dimitris Gketsis, visual artist

For children 7 to 10 years old | Up to 20 participants

Monday 04/07 &  Thursday 28/07

19.00-21.00

Monday 29/08

19.00-21.00

Monday 05/09

19.00-21.00

Mediterranean Garden