"Born," details the journey in reverse by Fanny Michaelis
In the captivating world of Fanny Michaeelis' book, And That's How I Was Born, a unique narrative unfolds, creating a palpable tension from the very first images.
The idea for the images in the book often presents itself in a sequential manner, unfolding around a before and an after. This sequence, Michaeelis suggests, was spontaneous and clear.
At the heart of the narrative is an 'inside-out' child, born from the hollow, the negative space of the image. This child is also described as the child of noise, of resonant sound, adding layers of symbolism to the character.
The book features portraits of the child's parents, which offer intriguing insights into the themes of heritage, identity, and family influence. The mother's portrait emphasises her mouth, making her face appear carved around a row of teeth, a large tongue, and a booming throat. Conversely, the father's portrait features a thick, full beard that obscures his mouth.
The white of the page in the book is not empty but rather a full void, adding depth to the images and the story they tell. The image idea in the book is not a singular entity but a combination of elements, the specifics of which are not revealed in the account of the book's beginning.
On the right-hand page of the book, the mother's throat gradually becomes a cave, serving as a hiding place. This transformation further underscores the symbolic significance of the parents and the child's birth in the narrative.
While a thorough interpretation of these elements requires a direct reading of the text or scholarly analyses of the work, it is clear that And That's How I Was Born explores themes of origin and personal legacy, using the parental portraits to reflect on family influence and the narrator's place within that legacy.
Fanny Michaeelis herself shared the account of the book's beginning, providing a glimpse into the creative process behind this intriguing work. For those interested in delving deeper into the symbolism and meaning of And That's How I Was Born, a closer examination of the text is highly recommended.
In the intricate tapestry of Fanny Michaeelis' work, the themes of lifestyle and home-and-garden intertwine with the narrative of her book, And That's How I Was Born, as the images evoke a sense of personal living space and design, with the child's birth emerging from the negative space of the images, symbolizing the child as an interior-design element within the household. Moreover, the portraits of the child's parents depict their distinct domestic personas, with the mother's mouth dominating her portrait, and the father's thick, full beard concealing his, hinting at their roles in shaping the child's identity and heritage within the home.
