Book Launch for Song and Windmills

Location: Nová Cvernovka
City: Bratislava
Event: Book launch for Song and Windmills

 

The industrial space in Bratislava’s Nová Cvernovka has a peculiar charm thanks to enthusiasts who have created an artists’ paradise there. It is also a venue that’s large enough for concerts, exhibitions and various experiments. Porta libri decided on this particular location for the book launch of Song and Windmills. The event was combined with an exhibition of unique artistic objects as well as a performance by the No Jazz but Cash band and a projection on a side screen.

Guests were first greeted by an installation of six objects conncted to the Biblical poetry project. A walkable space was created with the six objects, inviting people to come in. Thanks to the lighting inside, they found themselves in a sort of temple of ancient poetic texts: Job, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms and Proverbs. Porta libri had these objects made for the marketing of the books and CD’s at various festivals, schools and other events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The popular band No Jazz but Cash created a great atmosphere for guests to enjoy:
Daniel Nagaj (guitar), Nino Komárik (drums), Lukáš Uhlík (base), Tomáš Magna (guitar).

The evening was moderated by Marek Markuš from Porta libri, and some of the following people involved in the project were present: Daniel Raus and Hubert Bittman representing the authors, Jaro Beliš for the artists as Kateřina Bittmanová came down with a horrible bug and little Maria is no longer little, and living across the pond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The book had a non-traditional christening – being sprinkled with ashes by artist Jaro Beliš, one of the mentioned illustrators of Windmills. Many funny stories were told…

 

The atmosphere was wonderful. There was a funny tone to the evening, as well as a serious one.

 

The audience was captivated…

 

There was an interesting moving installation, made up of broken pieces of the artworks published in Song, hanging next to the stage. Svetlana Číčelová created the installation, and was responsible for the design of both books. When you touched the installation, you saw rays of light from each individual hanging piece and felt the fragile world of spiritual poetry.
 

 

Kateřina Bittmanová’s artworks that appear in Song were also on display. Their modern abstract nature corresponds well with the ancient biblical poetry texts and with the industrial brick walls of the venue. Unfortunately, due to lack of space, not all fourteen pieces were exhibited.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porta libri published two brief catalogues to accompany the exhibition, one containing the images from Song, the other a selection of illustrations by Miro Pogran, from the Biblical poetry books.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illustrations from both books as well as animated child-drawn images of windmills (that moved thanks to the animation by Svetlana Číčelová and Daniel Nagaj) were being projected onto a side screen during the event. Unfortunately, the windmills don’t move here, but you’ll see them move under the picture.

 

The windmills begin to move here (with English subtitles) - together with an introduction to Windmills by Viktor Preiss. In Czech, it says:

ABOUT THE LENGTH OF LIFE

When I was small, I thought
I’d live a thousand years
because a thousand was
the biggest number I knew.
I wasn’t selfish, so I figured that
everyone I loved would live
a thousand years too.
Today, a thousand years
isn’t nearly enough
as even eternity
feels too short.

 

  Trailer for Song - video in English and facebook (in Czech)

  Trailer for Windmills - video in English and facebook (in Czech)

 

TV report: Czech TV (in Czech)
TV Report: Slovak TV (in Slovak)
Slovak Radio Interwiew (in Slovak)
Project Double Poetry

Photography: Ján Machajdík