The spider woman

"If you wish to live and thrive, let a spider run alive."

Enter the real worldwide web of spiders. With eight legs, six to eight eyes, and—under close inspection—incredibly hairy, spiders, through the eyes of artist Louise Bourgeois, became the inspiration for a modern masterpiece called Maman. Created between 1999-2000, Maman (the French word for mom or mother) is one of the world's largest sculptures at 30 feet high and 33 feet wide. The spider would be a recurring theme throughout the artist's life. Bourgeois named the sculpture in honor of her mother. Like her mother, she saw the arachnid as helpful and protective.

She was right. Spiders are integral to our ecosystems, as predators and prey in ecosystems on all continents except Antarctica. The spider protects the environment, contributing to fewer pests destroying crops and less disease spread by insects. Spider silk has traditionally been used to construct nets and clothing.

The Spider Woman is a collaborative, multi-faceted effort curated by Louisa Higgins, Riverside County Office of Education Arts Administrator, and Karen Riley, S.C.R.A.P. Gallery Executive Director. The exhibition invites students, teachers, parents, and professional artists to create their interpretation of the spider inspired by imagination, local culture, and even arachnology. Selected spiders will be framed and part of a unique traveling art show.

If you would like to create spider collages with your students, you can request our curated STEAM kit, The Spider Woman, for your class. For more information: https://www.rcoe.us/departments/educational-services/instructional-services/content-and-pedagogy-support/content-areas/the-arts/arts-resources/student-arts-showcases/the-spider-woman