As a result of the paradoxical nature of the creature itself, and also reflecting Bourgeois» own turbulent relationships with those close to her, the spider's
rich symbolic associations along with its deeply personal meaning for the artist have resulted in a powerful body of work whose legacy continues today.
With a penchant for non-heroic, «anti-art» materials such as spray foam and aluminum, and a keen eye for cultural objects bemired in
symbolic notions of power, Bäckström's deeply tactile works create a
rich interplay between
association, meaning, and materials.