A comprehensive new biography titled "Knife-Woman" by Marie-Laure Bernadac offers an intimate portrait of Louise Bourgeois, the celebrated French-American artist who revolutionized modern sculpture before her death at age 98. The book delves into Bourgeois's remarkable life journey from her birth in Paris in 1911 to her status as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Bernadac, who served as curator of Bourgeois's work for decades and enjoyed unprecedented access to the artist's inner circle, provides revealing insights into her personal writings, studio practices, and the psychological underpinnings of her iconic spider sculptures. The biography spans over 500 pages and includes previously unpublished photographs and diary entries that shed new light on her creative process.

Bourgeois's famous arachnid installations, which she began creating in her late 70s, transformed how audiences perceive themes of motherhood, trauma, and repair in contemporary art. The biography reveals that these monumental sculptures were deeply rooted in her childhood memories of her mother, who worked as a tapestry restorer and whom Bourgeois described as "deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat, and useful as a spider." The book explores how these maternal associations evolved into powerful symbols of feminine strength and creative agency that now populate museums worldwide. Her largest spider, "Maman," stands over 30 feet tall and has been exhibited at the Tate Modern, the Guggenheim Bilbao, and the National Gallery of Canada.

The artist's longevity and productivity defied conventional expectations about age and artistic output, challenging stereotypes about creative decline. Bernadac's biography documents how Bourgeois continued working prolifically well into her 90s, producing some of her most emotionally raw and technically ambitious pieces during her final decade. The book examines her daily routines, her relationships with younger artists who visited her Brooklyn studio, and her unwavering commitment to exploring psychological complexity through diverse materials ranging from marble and bronze to fabric and latex. These later works often addressed themes of sexuality, abandonment, and memory with increased urgency and personal revelation.

Knife-Woman also addresses the darker aspects of Bourgeois's psyche, including her lifelong struggles with depression, anxiety, and the lingering trauma of her father's infidelity during her youth. The biography presents these personal challenges not as mere biographical details but as essential components of her artistic motivation and creative fuel. Bernadac argues that Bourgeois's ability to channel emotional pain into universally resonant artwork established a new model for confessional art that influenced generations of artists including Tracey Emin, Kiki Smith, and Kara Walker. The book carefully examines how her personal traumas translated into universal themes that continue to resonate with contemporary audiences.

The book's publication coincides with renewed interest in Bourgeois's work among younger artists and collectors who discover her through social media and contemporary art discourse. Major museums worldwide continue to acquire her pieces, and her installations remain central to discussions about feminist art history and the representation of women's experiences. Bernadac's deeply personal approach, combined with scholarly rigor, makes this biography essential reading for understanding how Bourgeois transformed personal narrative into monumental art that continues to resonate with audiences today. The biography serves as both a tribute to her remarkable life and a critical examination of how one artist's persistence and vision reshaped the art world.