Jean-Louis Bourgeois

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Jean-Louis Bourgeois (July 4, 1940 – December 8, 2022) was an American author and the son of artist Louise Bourgeois and art historian Robert Goldwater. Bourgeois studied literature and architectural history at Harvard University.

Biography[edit]

In 1969 and 1970 Bourgeois worked at Artforum before becoming interested in the production and history of mud brick architecture.[1] He was the author of the volume Spectacular Vernacular: the Adobe Tradition (with photographs taken by Carollee Pelos)[2] which established him as an expert on the subject.[3] He owned a home in Djenne, Mali and was actively involved in architectural conservation efforts there including the preservation of the world's largest adobe building the Great Mosque of Djenne,[4] and wrote on the subject.[5] While living in Djennê, Bourgeois opposed the Talo Dam project, and became a fixture in the city's cultural life.[1] He appeared in the 2008 documentary film on his mother Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine.[6] Bourgeois owned an adobe house in Taos, New Mexico, and also wrote on the Southwestern Native American Adobe tradition.[7][8]

392–393 West Street 6 Weehawken Street from north

In December 2016 Bourgeois announced he was giving his $4 million historic house in New York City to the Ramapough Lenape Native American nation; they intend to use it as a meeting house.[9] The building, located at 6 Weehawken Street in the West Village (also known as 392–393 West Street) was formerly a historic public market. However, he reneged on his plan.[10]

Death[edit]

Bourgeois died at his home in New York City on December 8, 2022, at the age of 82.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Alex Ulam. "The Clown. How to tell jokes that win friends and influence people in an ancient city in sub-Saharan Africa The Walrus. July/August 2004. pp.24–5 Bourgeois intends to translate the article into Funny.
  2. ^ Jean-Louis Bourgeois, Carollee Pelos. Spectacular Vernacular: a New Appreciation of Traditional Desert Architecture. Peregrine Smith Books, 1983. ISBN 9780879051440
  3. ^ 7 Stories of Water in a 2-Story Building by Josh Barbanel, The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2006.
  4. ^ Deidre d'Entremont. The Djenne Project, Mali: Jean Louis Bourgeois, Coordinator. Cultural Survival Quarterly 25.2 (Summer 2001) Endangered Languages, Endangered Lives.
  5. ^ Jean-Louis Bourgeois. The History of the Great Mosques of Djenné. African Arts Vol. 20, No. 3 (May, 1987), pp. 54-63+90-92
  6. ^ In Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine
  7. ^ Ianto Evans, Michael G. Smith, Linda Smiley. The Hand-Sculpted House: A Philosophical and Practical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2002 ISBN 9781890132347 p.265
  8. ^ Bourgeois, Jean-Louis. Vernacular Architecture in the Desert. in Joseph F. Kennedy, Michael Smith, Catherine Wanek (eds) The Art of Natural Building: Design, Construction, Resources. 6th Edition. New Society Publishers, 2001 ISBN 9780865714335
  9. ^ Smith-Slogan, Christy (December 18, 2016). "Millionaire returning $4M piece of Manhattan to Indian Tribe". New York Post. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
  10. ^ "Millionaire reneges on promise to give West Village property back to American Indian tribe". November 2, 2019.
  11. ^ "JEAN-LOUIS BOURGEOIS 1940–2022". Legacy.com. December 9, 2022.
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