Gå inte bakom mig; jag kanske inte leder.
Gå inte före mig; jag kanske inte följer.
Gå bara bredvid mig och var min vän.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my friend.
-Albert Camus
Trollgubbe (min compis för alltid)
A book can hold within it whole, unseen worlds until you read it; it carries experiences. My felt-bound storybook features the two-dimensional, childlike character Trollgubbe, inspired by Swedish folklore and fairytales. In this story, we follow Trollgubbe leave his fairytale world to encounter situations from the real world, where he serves as a guide and talisman to me, mending the space between fantasy, escapism, emotion and reality. He walks through his forest landscape right into my own emotional landscape, answering my call, extending his mythical troll hand.
The textile plushie evokes the experience of being read to as a child. In childhood, we easily cross the bridge from reality to the imaginary, escaping to unseen, secret worlds where toys come alive at night, talk only to us. You can rest on him, lean on him, squeeze him, whisper to him; he is here with calico ears, eyes and arms.
Lino-cut printed on felt, very tactile.
