Bourgeois thinking

The great Paris-born, New York-dwelling artist Louise Bourgeois left an indelible mark on the art world over many decades until her death in 2010, aged 98. A retrospective, The Woven Child, at London’s Hayward Gallery charts her later work with fabrics and textiles.

Ruscha-ing around

Since opening in 1968, the Hayward has hosted many famous shows, from a key early Bridget Riley retrospective in 1971 to Anish Kapoor’s first major show in 1998. In 2009, they mounted a retrospective for the great LA painter Ed Ruscha. OOF, as the fella himself might say.

Conceptual goop

As well as in galleries around the world, Ruscha and his fellow west coast conceptualist John Baldessari appear on the walls of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Gooped-up California home – as displayed in Architectural Digest. The less said about the “sculptural, freestanding onyx​ bar” in the living room, however, the better.

Hov is where the art is

In 2006, Jay-Z released Kingdom Come, a fairly unloved comeback album, following his “retirement”. On Hollywood, Jay-Z and Beyoncé trade lines about celebrity, with a nod to friends “Chris and Gwyneth”. Jay’s mid-to-late period has largely disappointed – 2013’s Magna Carta Holy Grail also didn’t hit earlier heights. The cover art for that record was shot by Ari Marcopoulos.

The mummy returns

Photographer/film-maker Marcopoulos is the partner of artist Kara Walker, best known for her epic 2014 sphinx sculpture A Subtlety, Or the Marvelous Sugar Baby. In 2020, Walker installed Fons Americanus at Tate Modern for its Turbine Hall series. In 2000, the inaugural Turbine commission was from … Louise Bourgeois, including her giant spider, Maman.

Pairing notes

Watch Face the visceral terror of the spider by giving Arachnophobia a spin – rent it everywhere.

Eat Get in the Bourgeois state of mind along London’s South Bank at Bermondsey bistro Casse-Croûte. Expect suitably French fare – your boeufs and pigeons en croute and cuisse de lapin farcie. Bon appétit!