The Library as a Loom invites participants to weave together books across library shelves, making visible the complex network of relationships that exist between texts. It is part of ACT II: System failure, on errors and glitches on show at @nieuwdakota until December 8th.
Inspired by Pamphila, a 1st-century miscellanist who wove knowledge like a tapestry, the installation encourages variety, complexity, and pleasure in knowledge organisation. Pamphila’s method, embodying poikilia, an aesthetic of diversity and interconnection, celebrated mixing genres and knowledge rather than categorically dividing them.
Crossing threads reveal hidden intertextual pathways obscured by today’s library classification systems. These systems not only privilege a 19th-century Eurocentric, male, homophobic and racist worldview, but also reduce literature to rigid categories, inhibiting intertextuality and reader exploration.
Using the shelves as a loom, weaving together books allows us to display and discuss the ways in which interdisciplinary, queer and feminist readings cut across categorical lines, challenging traditional, patriarchal structures of knowledge organisation and giving voice to perspectives otherwise hidden.
This work is inspired by the text Eros in the library: Considering the aesthetics of knowledge organization by Melissa Adler @what_the_river_knows.
Manny, many thanks to Nathalie Hartjes @krantenwijk and the team at @nieuwdakota for the opportunity. Was really happy to share this one with amazing works by @pumvandekoppel, @julie_goslinga and @ingekengen. Lastly, thanks to @sophiaxjiaqi for the photos!
Inspired by Pamphila, a 1st-century miscellanist who wove knowledge like a tapestry, the installation encourages variety, complexity, and pleasure in knowledge organisation. Pamphila’s method, embodying poikilia, an aesthetic of diversity and interconnection, celebrated mixing genres and knowledge rather than categorically dividing them.
Crossing threads reveal hidden intertextual pathways obscured by today’s library classification systems. These systems not only privilege a 19th-century Eurocentric, male, homophobic and racist worldview, but also reduce literature to rigid categories, inhibiting intertextuality and reader exploration.
Using the shelves as a loom, weaving together books allows us to display and discuss the ways in which interdisciplinary, queer and feminist readings cut across categorical lines, challenging traditional, patriarchal structures of knowledge organisation and giving voice to perspectives otherwise hidden.
This work is inspired by the text Eros in the library: Considering the aesthetics of knowledge organization by Melissa Adler @what_the_river_knows.
Manny, many thanks to Nathalie Hartjes @krantenwijk and the team at @nieuwdakota for the opportunity. Was really happy to share this one with amazing works by @pumvandekoppel, @julie_goslinga and @ingekengen. Lastly, thanks to @sophiaxjiaqi for the photos!