Louise Bourgeois' "Precious Liquids" (1992) is an evocative installation that delves into the exploration of body fluids as symbols of emotional states, such as sweat, tears, urine, blood, milk, and sperm. These fluids are presented in the context of their secretion in response to intense emotions like love, fear, pleasure, or pain. The work consists of an enclosed, dark space that visitors can enter through two doors, signifying an intimate and immersive experience. This space is a reconstitution of an old New York rooftop water tank, emphasizing the circulation of liquids within a confined environment (Centre Pompidou).
At the center of this installation is an iron bed with a small puddle of water, surrounded by laboratory glassware such as flasks and distillation apparatus, suggesting a scientific analysis of emotional expressions. The presence of a large man's coat hanging phallically, covering a girl's embroidered dress stuffed with straw, adds layers of symbolism related to authority, protection, and vulnerability. Bourgeois' notes mention this as a representation of a girl who matures to experience passion instead of terror, transforming fear into a form of passionate expression (Centre Pompidou).
"Precious Liquids" belongs to a series of works Bourgeois called "Cells," which she developed in the 1990s, each addressing different fears. The installation can be seen as a theatrical piece with a set narrative by Bourgeois herself, where the glass symbolizes body muscles and the secreted fluids represent the physical manifestation of internal emotions. The piece is a profound exploration of childhood, femininity, and sexuality, bringing together masculine and feminine elements, as well as contrasting materials like wood and iron, circle and square, horizontal and vertical (Panorama de l'art).
Bourgeois has been a pivotal figure in contemporary art, with her work addressing deeply personal themes from her childhood, which never lost its magic or mystery for her. Her artistic universe serves as an exorcism of her past, with time playing a precious role in her narrative. French by birth, Bourgeois’ work is deeply influenced by her early life experiences in Paris and her family's tapestry restoration workshop, which introduced her to a world of textiles and emotional complexity from a young age (Panorama de l'art).