Design: Maeve Redmond
To accompany Tarik Kiswanson’s current exhibition ‘The Rupture’, the artist shares a selection of recommendations for our Room for Reading.
Kiswanson selects ‘The Birds’ (1957) by Tarjei Vesaas, ‘Out of Place’ (1999) by Edward Said, and ‘Glass and God’ (1998) by Anne Carson.
“This is a list of three books from three different moments in my life, my childhood in Sweden, my teenage years in London at art school, and then finally, what I have read most recently.”
‘The Birds’ (1957) by Tarjei Vesaas.
‘The Birds’ (1957) by Tarjei Vesaas
“This is one of the first books I read as a child growing up on the outskirts of the city of Halmstad in Sweden. The town is located by the sea and was a particularly fitting context to read the book The Birds by Norwegian writer Tarjei Vesaas. Though, even at a young age, I often preferred reading poetry for its abstract form, this particular novel is quite extraordinary for its prose as we follow the psychologically troubled protagonist Mattias and the life he leads as a simple and quiet person whilst gaining insight into his rich inner world.”
Edward W. Said ‘Out of Place’ (1999)
‘Out of Place’ (1999) by Edward W. Said
“Many of course know Said’s writing very well, however less people are familiar with the autobiography he finished before passing away in 2003. Out of Place is one of the first books I read while at art school. Said recounts his life in a very captivating way, but what probably moved me the most in this memoir is how he asserts that feeling out of place is an active state of being, and inherent to intellectual and artistic thinking. Said gave me the understanding that this feeling of distance one might have, is a critical sensibility leading towards a continuous search for comprehension.”
Read an excerpt from ‘Out of Place’ here.
‘Glass and God’ (1998) by Anne Carson
‘Glass and God’ (1998) by Anne Carson
“I have read many of Anne Carson books, but I found this one particularly moving. Its rhythmic nature and the poignant subjects Carson touches upon are direct and unforgiving. It’s the latest book I read of hers and it stayed with me because of the emotional immediacy of the texts. Her writings continue to be important for my own writing practice.”
Read an excerpt from ‘Glass and God’ here.
Details
In conjunction with our projects, exhibitions and events, Room for Reading offers artists we work with an opportunity to contribute to The Common Guild library and share the books and resources that have influenced their artistic practice.
Every artist’s selection is added to The Common Guild’s expansive reference library of artist books, catalogues, and cultural and critical theory.
Visit
Visit our Library space Thursday – Saturday, 12–5pm, during exhibitions to view Tarik Kiswanson’s Room for Reading selection.
