A number of years ago, I came across a documentary on this artist, a little after she finished this work in 1999. It's a steel and marble sculpture of a spider, measuring 30 feet high and 33 feet wide, commissioned for the Tate Modern, London:
http://blog.tate.org.uk/?p=668
According to the artist,
“The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.”
It shows what a sad Tolkien fan I am; because I
instantly thought of Shelob when I first saw a picture of
Maman!
What do people think?