I was a runaway girl from France who married an American and moved to New York City. Im not sure I would have continued as an artist had I remained in Paris because of the family setup.

Everything I do is inspired by my early life”, Bourgeois’ looked up to her mother who was the most important person in her life for many reasons, ‘Maman’ symbolizes her mother; “The friend, because my best friend was my mother and she was deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat, and as useful as a spider.

Artists have to be useful. They have to fill a role.

The spider is an animal who eats mosquitoes. That's why I love the spider - it is the only way we have to deal with these insects.

Every day you have to abandon your past or accept it and then, if you cannot accept it, you become a sculptor.

An artist can show things that other people are terrified of expressing.

I was raised a Catholic. But I am not religious. In my work, I am interested in real flesh and blood.