The perpetual motion machine by paul scheerbart.
In the last days of 1907, the German novelist and exponent of glass architecture Paul Scheerbart embarked upon an attempt to invent a perpetual motion machine.
The use of diagrammatic drawing in this book was very influential on how I make drawings to describe ideas for works I am developing.
A book in which I discovered Bantu Philosophy –
- Being as distinct from force, that is, beings may have force or may not.
- Force as part of being, that is, being is more than force, but dependent upon it.
- Being is Force, that is, the two are one and the same.
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
A fantastical illustrated short novel about a boy imprisoned in a nightmarish library. A lonely boy, a mysterious girl, and a tormented sheep man plot their escape from a nightmarish library.
This story although short is very vivid yet dark, and seems to be about exploring the depths of a little boys physche as he comes to terms with a horrific accident he had with a vicious dog. The library serves as a prison, he is locked away and fed daily with delicious food made by a sheep man and a little girl. I enjoy finding the clues, reading into the situations as metaphors for something more real yet separate from this reality.
A collection of short stories. A complicated, challenging adventure into the many worlds of Borges. The combination of philosophy, maths, science, history and art make a very rich and informed ground for me to put into my practice.
films which have influenced my work so far –
Andre Tarkovsky’s Solaris –
A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions.
Jonathan Glazer’s Under the skin –
Disguising herself as a human female, an extraterrestrial (Scarlett Johansson) drives around Scotland and tries to lure unsuspecting men into her van.
The scenes in which the victim are seduced are visually stunning and very strange. characters are submerged into a black mirror liquid and preserved while they are fed on.
The soundtrack is also very beautiful and evocative of the female/alien form in the film. I have been listening to it whilst making drawings
Beyond the Black Rainbow directed by Panos Cosmatos –
A heavily sedated woman (Eva Allan) with ESP tries to escape from the secluded commune where she’s been held captive.
Visually the film is very captivating, lots of use of symmetry and maze like set design.
The strange colour of your bodies tears directed by Bruno Forzani, Hélène Cattet
A husband investigates his wife’s disappearance with help from a detective.
I really enjoy the use of symmetry and mirrors in this film, it makes the plot very distinct yet distorted. The viewer takes on many guises in the film, becoming detective, victim and suspect.