The Knowledge of Books
Disturbing Thoughts
Tumbling out of the store of knowledge which is a book comes a confusion of built structure. Balanced between a wind blown leaf and heavy text, the architecture of thought is neither rising nor falling.
Thoughts in Sand
Old books are mostly left to decay, to turn to dust. Our buildings will always eventually return to sand.
The Foundation of Power
Power is the process which denies all human claims to morality. The more we have knowledge the less attractive we find our reflection.
Inquisitive Thoughts
Before books there were amonites. In the time of books those ancient lives are fossils of stone. Our knowledge will also pass away.
Carnal Knowledge
Desire is a power which stands on intellect and imposes its own force. Our sexual desires undermine all ability to reason.
Printed Desires
Somewhere beneath the conduct of gender war the truth is often misplaced or forgotten. Knowledge can be unknown.
The Towers of Western Academia
As Universities become business models the politics of academia assert position over integrity. Learning becomes an agenda rather than an intellectual pursuit.
The Knowledge of Books is a sculpture series by Akane Takayama which considers the fragile nature of knowledge and human works. There is an ongoing reference in the series to her drawing ‘Box and Town’ which was shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2002. This referencing can be seen in much of Takayama’s work as she uses and reuses motifs and themes, forms and icons to create a sense of a contiguous vision consistent across her range. The Kiki de Montparnasse motif also sits comfortably within this series and this ease with which the artist’s ideas cross pollinate the varying mediums she uses reveals the skill in her work.
The Knowledge of Books presents us with a two-way mirror; we can look at our possession of the knowledge of books or we can look at the knowledge contained within those books. On this fluid concept, Takayama sits a disarray of buildings, a fossilisation of ideas, a conflict of interests and other contentious constructions. These conflicting stresses exist within a compositional harmony which is a hallmark of Takayama’s productions. In this strange world of ideas, we feel most comfortable with consistency. This is why Akane Takayama’s vision is so compelling.
At face value we see relationships which should not really co-exist or own a connection, they should feel uneasy. However, in her skilful composition, the artist discovers a balance which provides that all important comfort zone for the viewer to perceive from and start to ask questions.
