8″ x 9″
This is one of the (as of now) fifteen images for Kate Bernheimer’s captivating book coming out next year. In total there will be seventy something images, one for the facing page for each paragraph of text.
All of the pieces are on three layers of tracing paper (an archivist’s nightmare)so are pretty fragile, but the materials allow for all sorts of shenanigans. I’m somewhat pulling from Depression-era cartoons for these drawings.
Also, I’m remembering some of the drawings that my mother made on the wall of the uninhabitable third floor of my grandparents house, wobbly Little Lulu and others. They were still there when I was a teenager. If one were in a pensive mood, those drawings could call up feelings of fleeting innocence, or imminent absence. And nothing speaks to imminent absence like the ancient story of the origin of drawing according to Pliny (if I remember right… ahem):
A young woman from Corinth was spending the night with a soldier as he was about to go off to war with no chance of his return. Realizing her pending loss, she took a bit of coal from the fire and traced his shadow on the wall. The End.
Mama says
Actually that was Little Lulu, not Betty Boop. Different era. Love the picture and the idea of imminent absence. Was a little concerned about what the lady planned to do to the soldier with that hot coal.
Noah says
Ooh, thanks for the correction, Mama, I knew Betty Boop didn’t seem right. I am keeping those drawings (or the feeling of seeing those in my early drawing years) in mind while making images for this book. Strangely seems appropriate to the text, not sure why. Thanks for making and leaving them for your future son to see!