OPEN CALL

Claudia de la Torre began the ongoing project "The Questions Library" in 2013, for which she collects, classifies and exhibits books whose titles are formulated as questions. This library, which currently comprises 530 titles, contains publications of all conceivable genres and genres - be it fictional or non-fictional literature. A glance at the spines reveals what these books have in common: Their titles are formulated as questions that are rhetorical in nature, for example, or that relate to a place or a specific time. But not all of these questions can be answered per se, and some even call themselves into question. The individual books are means of artistic expression and at the same time readymade objects.

Before each presentation of "The Questions Library", the collection is expanded through an open call, and this time is no exception. The call is aimed at everyone: interested parties are invited to donate books whose title contains a question. The public is thus involved, becomes part of the work and actively contributes to the library. De la Torre catalogued, stamped and recorded each new book during a performance at the opening. The library will continue to grow over the course of the presentation, as donations of books will continue to be accepted during this time. In this way, the book collection is constantly expanding, pointing beyond the usual arrangements as well as beyond the Don Quixotic and self-referential.

Claudia de la Torre publishes a booklet to go with each presentation of the installation. It brings together all the books available in the library to date and lists the titles with assigned categories and numbers. The books are organised in chronological order, as they entered the library, and show the classification system to which they belong. In addition, De la Torre publishes an artist's book after each re-exhibition. This black and white paperback contains all the new books added to the library, arranged in such a way that they tell their own micro-story when read: One title is connected to the next. The two publications are different kinds of directories of the library - and also artistic works in their own right.

Last edited on 16.12.2024