T U I K E R E H O M A

Apologies for the late blog. I hope it makes some sense. On short notice we have Mike.P visiting for Friday crits and I have the black book available in studio. It is on my main desk, Just turn on the lamps if you need extra lighting.
The black book will be a component in my final installation which I think will be quite theatrical in nature, a set-up, staged scenario of some kind. Perhaps resembling a press conference. So as follows is some material that may be of use for our discussion around this item tomorrow.
History. As some of you know I have had a problem with people helping themselves to the books/paperwork in my studio space and attempted to stop them by leaving a threatening note on a post-it. The problem continued regardless. As a social experiment I found this an amusing reflection of the relationship dynamics within the studio.
A thread of my research has concerns with a kind of ‘book hysteria’ that abounds and their status as main pathways of knowledge. Especially here within the university where they are building blocks. Today there was discussion of the inventory made of all the books found in Robert Smithson’s studio after his death. A desperate insight into the genius.

When considering the fact that our evolutionary success is due to our ability to pass on knowledge through language and reflecting on the status of the book: It is from here that I have concerns with the book as a gatekeeper. For exactly who has the opportunity to partake in this form of evolution? Considering the illiterate millions and the large percentage of them being female etc we all know the specs.

Mute. Umberto Ecos antilibrary has been an interesting vein of research concerning the above. His library consists of unread books as they remind him that what you don’t know is far more relevant than what you do know as whatever you come to know may become inconsequential if your enemy knows that you know it.

In a previous blog I used a quote by Jean-Marie Muler for UNESCO in which she discusses the fact that due to our ability to use language, violence therefore becomes redundant. This may be a decision harder for some when reflecting on the above, where it is clear that so many are without the means to engage in such a large and institutionally legitimized form of discourse.

The above material is not really a question but to let you in on some of the principles surrounding the production of the black book. Whether it has a life force beyond this pre-amble is of course for you to decide and for me to negotiate within the final installation.

Thanks.