Artist: Christine Tacq, UK

Work: Everything Changes

I propose creating an artist’s book entitled ‘Everything Changes’ that will include this translation by poet Cicely Herbert of “Alles Wandelt Sich” by Bertolt Brecht. The book form is created with seven envelope-shaped pages attached to one another. The central page is made of mirrored card. The text of the poem, set in Walbaum or Helvetica will be on the pages either side of this, and imagery in the form of relief prints, possibly from assembled wood engraving blocks will be on the previous and later pages mainly on Zerkall paper with separate colour collagraph printed covers attached to the outer pages. The height of the book is 13.6cm. Opened flat it is 39cm across. The width when closed is 19.5cm. This is also the radius when the book is opened out to create a circle. The “envelopes” have space for either five or seven folded sheets for image and text on Fabriano paper that can be pulled out of the spine. These pages measure 12.5cm by 18.5cm.

I am inspired to use my book to further explore ideas of mirror images and distortion in several different areas, using a different pull-out page for each one: Examples would be: Magellan’s men, arriving in Rio, trading a mirror for food for ten men. Trade might be even less fair and true translation is only possible by recognising the human in the other culture. Cicely’s translation gives the two halves of the poem a more even typographic shape than the German original; like mirror images but still distorted in the way that the text of the original was flipped around to create some optimism. ‘Poisons poured into the seas’ are Cicely’s version of Brecht’s ‘water mixed in with wine’. ‘Planting trees for those born later’ is like making a ‘change with your final breath’ but in the different context of ‘climate justice’.

Outer construction of the book is complete. There will be an edition of 8 plus 2 A/Ps at £100 each.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My practice begins with drawing in situ, and exploration of image and text. In this case books about exploration with images from maps, the sea, island, tree, cloud imagery, geometric navigational diagrams and ancient (Marshall Islands) aids to measure waves make me want to create my own versions in relief and collagraph. My book of reclaimed imaginary ‘Islands’ (see image) is being made from photographs taken in the last rains while walking home. This is my attempt to deal with scale. In ‘Climate Justice’ by Mary Robinson, creating an artificial island is just one of the ideas for the Kiribati people about to lose their Pacific island under the waves.

CONTACTS

Website: christinetacq.blogspot.com

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