THIS PIECE WAS INITIALLY CREATED AS AN HOMAGE TO THE LATE ARTIST LOUISE BOURGEOIS. I CHOSE TO CREATE IT FROM DISCARDED PIECES OF BRONZE THAT HAD BEEN THE CANALS AND OVERPOUR CUT FROM OTHER SCULPTURES AFTER THEY WERE CAST. SHORTLY AFTER LEARNING THE LOST WAX PROCESS OF CASTING BROZE AT PERSEO ART FOUNDRY IN MENDRISIO, SWITZERLAND, I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT MANY BRONZE SCULPTURES, THOUGH DESIGNED BY THE ARTIST, ARE OFTEN THE WORK OF MANY TALENTED ARTISANS EMPLOYED AT THE FOUNDRY. I HAD ALWAYS WONDERED HOW LOUISE BOURGEOIS HAD CREATED HER ENORMOUS SPIDER SCULPTURES (FOR EXAMPLE: "SPIDER" & "MAMAN"). THOUGH AN ARTIST WHO HELD GREAT STRENGTH, BOTH IN HER HANDS, HEART AND MIND, I STILL COULD NOT COMPREHEND HOW A WOMAN AS PETITE AS SHE COULD HAVE THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO CREATE SUCH MASTERPIECES. ONCE I HAD CREATED A FEW OF MY OWN PIECES AT THE FOUNDRY WITH THE HELP OF THESE ARTISANS, I UNDERSTOOD, AND I WAS INSPIRED TO CREATE THIS UNIQUE WELDED PIECE ALL ON MY OWN, BOTH AS A CHALLENGE, AND HOMAGE TO THE LATE ARTIST HERSELF. THE NAME "LA RAGNA" COMES FROM ITALIAN NAME FOR SPIDER:"IL RAGNO", WHICH TRADITIONALLY IS A MASCULINE NAME. HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT THIS PIECE IS A WORK INSPIRED BY A WOMAN AND CREATED BY A WOMAN ARTIST, CREATED BY A WOMAN ARTIST, I DECIDED TO CALL HER "LA RAGNA" AS A SORT OF PLAY ON WORDS AND ADDING MORE DEPTH TO THE CONCEPTUAL MEANING. S11150003