When I am working with books and their stories I always have transformation on my mind, a form of movement, a progressing of evolution. And yet, the moment you look at one of the altered stories, you will find at rest. Even a random text, printed or hand written, emanates a calming pattern, as long as you refrain from reading the words.
I want the hanging “Story in state of rest” to extend further across the wall and into the room. Which means that I need to extend the rest that it takes to assemble the pieces. Interestingly, the components of the resting story look like letters of an unknown language, placed somewhere between runes and modern print. Schriftdruck. A writing on the wall that cannot be understood by reading.
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somewhat savage
Lately I have been working a lot with a Reclam paperback from 1984: Hans Christian Andersen. Fairy Tales and Stories. The pages are thin and yellowed and they hold beautiful words. For instance “the flowers were dancing on the stems” or “the dresses turned into feathers”. Perfect for creating something new!
But an Andersen tale in one piece is not inspiring to me at all. So circuitous and verbose. So morally instructive. And look at the heroines who remain in memory basically as nice and sweet-natured. Despite the disappointment that Andersen has in store for them: The little mermaid, the little match girl or Gerda, who goes all the way to the Snow Queen.
At any rate, this book has reached a new phase in its life. Maybe i hit puberty. It became a little savage, defiant. It is also feeling insecure, as yet. And it still loves to play as I found out when doing the pictures.
Additional pictures from the fairy tale book gone wild can be seen here und here.