The Anti-Library | Space Studios, London | 2011-12
The Anti-Library > housed unread books gathered from over 150 invited contributors each asked to present a single book which they owned but had never read, as well a short text outlining their selection. The project included submissions from: Jonathan Allen, Oliver Laric, Cally Spooner, Arnaud Desjardin, Ed Atkins, Åbäke, Jamie Shovlin, Am Nuden Da, Pieternel Vermoortel, Mike Sperlinger, Kathy Noble, Maria Fusco, Kate Owens, Rachel Cattle, Gavin Everall, Ian Law, Francesco Pedraglio, Athanasios Argianas [amongst many others] | Curated by Paul Pieroni
Book
Contributed to the Anti-Library:
Willingly to School: How Animals are Taught,
Dembeck, Hermann (Harrup 1970)
“This troublingly titled and cover-illustrated volume was purchased
from a second-hand book seller during the 'Visual Empires' conference
at The National Fairground Archive in Sheffield in July 2009 in an attempt
to confirm an anecdote I came across when photographing a live lion a
few years ago – the idea that circus lion-tamers routinely 'pleasure'
potential performers at an early age in order to reduce their natural
aggressiveness. The book was loaned to a colleague before I’d had
a chance examine it, and was returned only recently whereupon I have not,
as yet, leafed through its pages in search of this insalubrious information.”
Jonathan Allen