Liza Lou American artist Country: USA

1. Biography of Lisa Lou
2. The Kitchen and the Back Yard
3. Recognition and Current Life
4. Working Process
5. Durban and Inspiration
6. A Revelation and Artistic Journey

Biography of Lisa Lou

Lisa Lou is a modern American artist who gained fame through her unique choice of materials for her works. Lou creates her installations out of beads. While the art world initially treated Lisa Lou with disdain, calling her a second-rate jeweler or a crazy craftswoman, today collectors and gallery curators from around the world seek out her works.

The Kitchen and the Back Yard

Lou's fame was brought about by her project titled 'Kitchen,' which took her five years to complete, from 1991 to 1996. It is an actual-sized kitchen, covering an area of 15.6 square meters, equipped with everything you would find in a real kitchen. The eggs are frying on the stove, a fresh newspaper lies on the table, and hand-painted plates soak in the sink. However, everything is made from colorful beads, down to the smallest details like dishwashing liquid and trash in the dustpan. The meticulous work led to Lou developing tendinitis in both hands, but she persevered in placing each of the millions of beads in their rightful place. Following the success of the 'Kitchen,' Lou created the beadwork installation titled 'Back Yard,' which took her three years to complete, from 1996 to 1999. The 'Back Yard' covers an area of 48.8 square meters, and Lou had to enlist the help of volunteers to create the grass.

Recognition and Current Life

Today, 'Kitchen' is part of the permanent collection at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, while 'Back Yard' is in the permanent collection of the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris. In 2002, Lou received a half-million dollar grant from the MacArthur Foundation. She currently lives and works in Durban, South Africa, where her studio is located. Despite the damage to her reputation in the art world, Lou's bead installations, sculptures, and paintings are highly valued for their brilliance and vibrant colors, captivating both children and seasoned art connoisseurs.

Working Process

Lou's working process in her studio is unlike that of other contemporary artists. Around half-past eight in the morning, about 25 Zulu men and women dressed in patterned dresses or simple jeans and t-shirts gather in one of the two rooms that Lisa rents in the city center. They start by forming a large circle, singing and dancing, while Lou, who looks like a younger sister of Sharon Stone among them, claps her hands and taps her feet along. Eventually, everyone takes their seats throughout the studio and begins the delicate and meticulous work. Throughout the day, Lisa and her assistants assemble endless tiny beads, accompanied by song.

Durban and Inspiration

Durban, the third-largest city in South Africa, is a tropical port with magnificent sandy beaches, beautiful buildings on the verge of crumbling without repair, and crowds of homeless people sleeping right on the sidewalks. It is also a center of traditional African beadwork. Lou came here hoping to find remote workers and return to California with her husband, graphic designer Mick Haggerty. However, the unique opportunity to work as a team emerged, and Lisa found herself continually postponing her departure. Her husband later joined her. Her workers live in nearby settlements, where conditions aren't much different from pre-apartheid times. Most of them have never dined in a restaurant or visited an art museum, so when Lisa showed them photos of her previous works, they were not initially impressed.

A Revelation and Artistic Journey

In reality, it is difficult for anyone to fully appreciate Lisa Lou's works through photographs. Photos fail to capture the intricacies or the overall picture. According to Parisian gallerist Thaddaeus Ropac, Lou's works imitate life, where nothing is real. However, they are so lifelike that it becomes frightening. Lisa was born in 1969 and grew up in a Christian family that ultimately turned her into an atheist. In 1989, she had a transformative experience while visiting Europe, specifically the cathedrals of Florence and Venice. The stained glass, frescoes, and mosaics overwhelmed the young American, who was accustomed to bare walls and plastic church chairs. This experience left such an impression on her that when she returned to California and entered an art supply store, Lisa suddenly discovered that sparkling crystal beads had become a more interesting material for her than paints.