Art Review

Lured Into Webs: A new suite of prints by Louise Bourgeois at Remba Gallery combines the meandering randomness of freely drawn doodles with the structural soundness of elaborate crochet stitches. Printed in bright red ink on blindingly white paper, this edition of five distinct patterns has the presence of a set of oversize spider webs, made by a creature clearly less interested in capturing prey than in amusing herself by decorating her surroundings.

From across the gallery, each of Bourgeois’ loopy networks appears to be made of a handful of strands of very thick yarn. Like heavy-duty, do-it-yourself versions of lace, these nearly symmetrical designs call to mind a variety of associations, including loosely woven sweaters, sexy fishnet stocking, droopy chain-link fences and all-over abstract paintings.

One 37-by-31-inch image resembles a starburst clock or an optometrist’s test that temporarily gives you double vision. Another looks like a pair of homemade snowflakes, one with points aimed outward and the other with them pointed inward. A third seems to outline an upside-down pyramid, covered with a complex array of circles, ovals and serpentine curves, whose madness barely veils its method.

Up close, however, it’s clear that Bourgeois’ images are not made of various lengths of yarn that have been glued to clean sheets of paper. Each piece is too pristine and crisply articulated to consist of such messy materials.

Associations with summer camp craft-hour vanish as you realize that these bright red lines are densely textured reliefs, protruding from thick sheets of handmade paper. Seamless and sensuous, their vivid patterns read neither as expressive gestures nor as handcrafted artisanship, but as effortless endeavors that weave a little beauty--and even more mystery--into the most unremarkable materials. If Bourgeois’ mock spider webs trap no prey, they capture viewers with their clunky delicacy.

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* Remba Gallery, 462 N. Robertson Blvd., (310) 657-1101, through April 25. Closed Sundays and Mondays.