By Elise Bell
Exploring the Kunstkammer: A Glimpse into Collector Ronald S Lauder’s Art Room
Discovering the Symbolic Representation of Collectors through Cabinets of Curiosities
Unraveling the Intricate Relationship Between Home, Self, and Art with Louise Bourgeois
The Intimacy of Personal Spaces: Seeking Identity in the Homes of Others
As oppressive heat engulfed New York, I sought solace within the air-conditioned confines of the Neue Galerie. Nestled on Fifth Avenue, this museum is renowned for its collection of 20th-century German and Austrian art. It was here that I stumbled upon the Kunstkammer, an art room meticulously curated by collector Ronald S Lauder. Overflowing with books, tapestries, ceramics, and Renaissance-era artworks, this display skillfully emulates the ambiance of Lauder’s own home.
Cabinets of curiosities, popular since the 16th century, serve not only as repositories of personal possessions but also as visual representations of the collectors themselves, showcasing how they wished to be perceived by others. Louise Bourgeois, a formidable artist of the 20th century, understood this concept intimately. She delved into her own personal history, creating art that grappled with themes of sexuality, psychology, domesticity, and family. In many ways, the New York townhouse-turned-studio where Bourgeois resided for nearly half a century became her own Kunstkammer — a manifestation of her inner psyche interwoven with her external taste and possessions.
However, the desire for a home that authentically mirrors one’s self often seems unattainable. Having lived in eight different homes over the span of nine years, sharing these spaces with various individuals, I yearn for a sanctuary that truly reflects my identity. Bourgeois, too, inhabited a standard Chelsea brownstone, upgrading from apartment blocks to a townhouse she purchased with her husband in 1962. Writing to her father, she described these elegant residences as exuding a nostalgic “Proustian charm,” reminiscent of her childhood in France.
What captivates me is not merely the physical setting (as New York’s rigid urban planning feels constraining and uninspiring), but rather the profound impact Bourgeois left upon her home — the nails in the walls, the stains adorning countertops, the freedom to reconfigure spaces at will. Our shared penchant for weathered beauty, vases filled with dried flowers, and striking graphic artwork allows me to resonate with her. A devoted follower of Freudian psychoanalysis, Bourgeois would undoubtedly have opinions about the black-and-white print of a decapitated head hanging above my own desk.
Jean-François Jaussaud’s photographs from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s depict Bourgeois’ residence as a labyrinth of white-walled rooms, plaster peeling at the edges, and white brickwork revealing itself through cracks. Papers scatter across wooden floors, and her library houses an abundance of books, cassettes, and filing cabinets. Letters, subway maps, posters, diagrams, and phone numbers are etched in thick black pencil on the walls, accompanied by sketches, notably her iconic spider motif symbolizing her mother.
Similar to automatic drawings or other manifestations of “psychic automatism,” Bourgeois’ home can be interpreted as a semi-subconscious reflection of her self. It defies the stereotypical glamorous abode of a wealthy artist, resonating with my own affinity for a raw and genuine living space. As I gaze upon images of Bourgeois’ home, I recognize my own yearning to be seen, to be understood.
Within my own home, my room stands as the one space I have full control over, and I eagerly welcome friends and partners into this personal realm. Likewise, I am drawn to theirs, hoping to uncover deeper intimacy through the books on their shelves, the artwork adorning their walls, and the overall ambiance of their homes. I find spartan bedrooms devoid of personality difficult to trust. I wonder if Louise Bourgeois would have shared the same sentiment.
Photographs: Porter Gifford/Corbis via Getty Images; Yann Gamblin/Paris Match via Getty Images
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