Mehanična knjiga / Mechanical book, 2007

Leta 2007 sem se s konceptom mehanične knjige prijavila na natečaj za avtorsko knjigo umetnika. Tukaj je krajša verzija:

Zanima me stvaritev mehanične knjige. Knjiga je skupek vgrajenih mehanizmov, ki kot elektronski škratje in mehanični mikroorganizmi izza besed in strani determinirajo prikaz in strukturo knjižnih partikularizmov, njihov videz in izpisovanje, tudi vsebino. V knjigo je vmeščena lumino-kinetična, mehanična dimenzija.

Mehanizmi izpisujejo besede in narekujejo ritmiko branja. Utrjene navade branja so postavljene pod vprašaj. Do kod lahko posameznik sledi določenemu načinu prikazovanja in razbiranja besed? Kdaj vizualni aspekt prevlada literarni značaj in obratno in kdaj se ujameta? Besede se kažejo zdaj počasi, zdaj hitro, od zgoraj navzdol, od spodaj navzgor, besede izginejo. Koliko se ob tem ohranijo v spominu? Takšen 'govor' knjige lahko poudarja ali pride v konflikt s procesom bralčeve imaginacije, ki se ob čitanju knjige odvija. Obenem se knjiga ponekod razpleta neodvisno, brez sodelovanja uporabnika. Ker je izpis besed, struktura strani, celo samo listanje vključeno v proces avtomatizacije, se lahko zgodi, da se branje knjige kdaj ujame v neskončno zanko ponavljanj. Na nekaterih delih je knjigo potrebno brati v temi. Drugod se tekst odvije hitro naprej in mu ni mogoče slediti. Ker je mehanične narave, se knjiga lahko pokvari in čitanje ni mogoče. Morda je v kakšno stran vgrajen 'defekt'. Knjiga je spremenljiv objekt.

In 2007 I submitted the concept for a mechanical book to the artist's authorial book competition. Here is a short outline:

I want to make a mechanical book. The book comprises built-in mechanisms that determine the presentation and structure of literary particularisms, their appearance, write out and contents, much like electronic and mechanical 'microorganisms' behind words and pages. A mechanical, lumino-kinetic dimension is embedded in the book.

Mechanisms write out words and dictate the rhythmics of reading. The usual reading habits are questioned. How far can one follow a certain way of words presenting themselves? When does the visual aspect prevail over the literal one or vice versa or where do both meet? The words appear slowly at one time, quickly at another, sometimes from above down, sometimes they disappear – what is the effect of this on one's memory and understanding? The book 'speaks' and accents or clashes with the process of the reader's imagination that untwines while reading. At times, the book reels off independently, without the user's participation. Because the write out of the words, the structure of the page and turning the pages over are a process of automation, the reading of such book can easily become caught in an endless snare of repetition. Parts of the book should be read in the dark. Other parts come to pass fast forward, so one cannot follow them. Because of its mechanical character the book can breakdown, making the reading impossible. Perhaps a 'defect' is built in one of the pages. The book is a transformative object.