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The Spider at Roppongi Hills

If you’ve been to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, you would have encountered the gigantic spider in Roku Roku Plaza. The ten metre bronze sculpture called Maman is the work of French artist Louise Bourgeois who passed away yesterday at age 98.

Roppongi Hills is a large modern complex combining elegant shops, designer boutiques, trendy cafés, gourmet restaurants including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon as well as offices, bars, nightclubs and a traditional Japanese garden earning it the title of a ‘city within a city’. Another notable feature of Roppongi Hills is the mega sized television screen by the headquarters of Asahi TV but it is the arachnid sculpture that has become a very popular meeting place.

If you stand directly beneath the spider and look up, you will see the intricate detail in the body and notice that Maman is carrying eggs.

Renowned artist Louise Bourgeois was born in Paris and later moved to New York. Known for controversy in some of her works which have been inspired by her childhood experiences. Her series of spider sculptures have featured around the world.

Adieu Madame.

About the author

Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is a drinks writer, author of GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN, SHRUBS & BOTANICAL SODAS and founder/editor of Gourmantic, Cocktails & Bars and The Gourmantic Garden. She has been writing extensively about spirits, cocktails, bars and cocktail gardening in more recent years. She is a spirits and cocktail competition judge, Icons of Whisky Australia nominee, contributor to Diageo Bar Academy, cocktail developer and is named in Australian Bartender Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential List. Her cocktail garden was featured on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia and has won several awards. She is a contributor to Real World Gardener radio program and is featured in several publications including Pip Magazine, Organic Gardener, Australian Bartender and Breathe (UK). Read the full bio here.

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