Faith Wilding Book of Hildegard + Reading
Saturday 10 March 2018
Free, no booking required
3-4pm: Introduction by Faith Wilding to The Book of Hildegard and viewing of unseen pages
4-6pm: Faith Wilding reads from her memoirs (extracts from forthcoming publication with Intellect Books), followed by Q+A, drinks and snacks
We are delighted that Faith Wilding will be over from the United States to provide an introduction to her illustrated book works The Book of Hildegard (1983) as well as giving a reading from her forthcoming book (published by Intellect Books, 2018). This event marks the end of the first exhibition in the Alembic programme at Res. – Alembic I: Mystic Body, an intergenerational duo show with Faith Wilding and Elizabeth Mputu.
Alembic takes its name from an alchemical still and considers the body as a site for digital and affective transmutation. Wilding’s interest in alchemical imagery, ecology and literature is evident in the featured work The Book of Hildegard. Wilding’s book and scroll works emerged from her close study of illuminated manuscripts, in particular works by the 11th century female mystic Hildegard von Bingen. Concerning medicinal herbs, cycles of birth, death and rebirth, The Book of Hildegard (1983) connects to others made by the artist during the same period including Life Lessons (1985) and Leaf Scroll (1986) also on display in the current exhibition.
Additionally, Faith will be giving a lecture at Goldsmiths, University of London at 5.30pm on Friday 9 March (note the Goldsmiths website currently says 7 March but this date has been changed due to UCU strike action. The venue has changed to Professor Stuart Hall Building, LG01).
Image: The Book of Hildegard (1983) by Faith Wilding, installed at Res. 2018. Photo by Tim Bowditch