“Hanging Janus with Jacket,” created in 1968 by Louise Bourgeois in the United States, is a sculpture representative of the Conceptual Art movement. The artwork exemplifies Bourgeois’ intricate approach to form and symbolism.
The sculpture is suspended, highlighting its dynamic interplay of weight and balance. It features two bulbous forms, suggestive of bodily shapes, emerging from a central, rigid structure that resembles a jacket. The dark, metallic finish contributes to the piece’s compelling, almost brooding presence. The ambiguous forms and arrangement evoke themes of duality and transformation, consistent with the mythological Janus, who is often associated with transitions and duality in Roman mythology. This piece by Bourgeois powerfully communicates through both its physicality and conceptual depth.
