My Book House was a peaceful, literary dream
Life-size, surreal book collage dollhouse? Count me in.
My Book House at Agitator Gallery is closing on Sunday, January 19. Agitator’s collective nature means most exhibitions are run for a shorter period compared to ordinary galleries, and My Book House was one of those exhibitions that I’d wished it was up for a little longer so more could enjoy this manifestation of an avid reader’s vivid dreams
Created by Chicago-based collage and textile artist Meg Guttman, My Book House started as a two-story-plus-an-attic foldable dollhouse constructed using a cardboard frame. The house is made out of vintage books, as in, printed book covers on cotton wrapped around cardboard boxes. In the exhibition, the dollhouse faces Agitator’s display window on the front. If you lean close enough, you can peek through into the doll house and take a glimpse of the imaginary realm inside before stepping into the gallery. As time went and the dollhouse traveled with Guttman to different gallery spaces, she began to brew an ambitious idea: what if she brought the dollhouse to life, and you can walk inside of the rooms?
This exhibition was Guttman’s first immersive installation, and the artist had to overcome quite a few challenges.
“The key is to make sure it is both immersive and portable. The frames are made with PVC piping so you can easily deconstruct the structure, fold up the tapestry, and travel with them. This is actually the first time I have all three rooms assembled in one space.” Guttman told me.
Guttman’s process was rather simple. She enlarged the original collages and printed them onto tapestry. The tapestries formed the walls for each room with. She then began sourcing furniture and fixtures from neighbors, thrift stores, even alleyways, repurpose them into the toilet, bed, and bathtub that went into each room.
The end results were similar to immersive pop-up stages. One is supposed to step into the installation, sit down, and allow themselves to be absorbed by the scenes as they listen to Guttman’s serene voice reads her favorite passages through headphones paired with each room. Only then will they fully experience the magic of visual stimulation and finely crafted texts about love, sex, dream, fluidity, creativity, and self affirmation.
“This way it was nice, and that way it was nicer, and each time he changed it was better (Colette, Mitsou).“
“She looked at the Queen, who seemed to have suddenly wrapped herself in wool. Was she in a shop? And was that really — was it really a sheep that was sitting on the other side of the counter? She could make nothing more of it; she was in a little dark shop, leaning with her elbows on the counter, and oppostie to her was an old sheep, sitting in an armchair knitting, and every now and then leaving off to look at her through a great pair of spectacles. (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass).“
As I sat there looked at the doll suspended in mid air, the room came to life in my mind. Who’s following a mountain path to discover the truth behind ancient myths? Who is sitting under the morning glories, gazing into the skies? The Book Room asked me to slow down and recall the joy of reading: of having a free mind roaming across universes, unbothered by reality.
Guttman told me her goal for now was to some day build the remaining rooms, including the attic of her book house. Looking at the original structure, one will notice even more layering and textures, interactive details, and innovative designs that break the boundaries of space.
For me, though, I want to see this project on a stage because it already has all the fundamental elements: a back drop, simple props, convenient assembly. How cool would it be if this evolves into an immersive theater production? A surreal adventure into the world of books?
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be following.