The stuff of nightmares (for some) the Maman Spider Sculpture by the late Louise Bourgeois is a famous landmark in the busy city.
Standing at a terrifying 9.1m (30ft) tall and 10m (33ft) wide, it is not the place to arrange to meet an arachnophobe (unless you really don’t like them). If you stand below the creature you can look up to see a cluster of 26 marble eggs held within an abdomen and thorax made of ribbed bronze. The Roppongi sculpture is one of 6 bronze castings which followed the original 1999 steel creation which was displayed in the Tate Modern, London.
As terrifying as it may seem to some, the statue reflects feelings of nurture, protection, weaving and spinning and is an ode to the artist’s mother who was a weaver by trade and died when Bourgeois was 21. The five matching statues can be found in Qatar, the USA, South Korea, Spain and Canada.
Nearby places and attractions
- 382 m from Roppongi Station Hibiya Line (H4)Oedo Line (E23)
- 0.7 km from Nogizaka Station Chiyoda Line (C5)
- 0.9 km from Azabujūban Station Namboku Line (N4)Oedo Line (E22)
