It is called Dream On Baby, the new book published by the German publishing house Hatje Cantz that intrigued us right from the start. Partly because it talks to us about the origin of creativity, to be found in childhood, and partly because it features some of the artists we most admire, from Marina Abramović to Jeff Koons. German curator, art critic and publisher Gesine Borcherdt collects the childhood memories of thirty-three internationally renowned artists, observing how childhood never leaves us – for better or for worse – and how it is clearly reflected in adult art. Some stories are funny, others painful and traumatic, but all are able to inspire. «The more fucked-up a childhood you have, the better artist you become because you have something to work with,» commented Marina Abramović anticipating the whole theme of the book. But let’s find out more, without making too many spoilers for those who want to read it.
Childhood never lets go of anyone
«Childhood never lets go of anyone», reads in the book description. «For many artists, it was the trigger for making art in the first place, and still is what drives them today. What formative memories spurred their creativity? What inspiration do they take from their childhood years? Curator Gesine Borcherdt conducts conversations with 33 artists on the influence of their childhood on their artwork.Transcribed from their original sound bites, these stories are illustrated by family photos, children’s drawings, portraits and examples of their current works. Their tales are touching, amusing or tragic; most have never been told before and their corresponding material has never been published.»
From exhibition to book
It all stems from the work of Berlin-based Borcherdt, who for years has been collecting various childhood stories of important contemporary artists, identifying with them some crucial moments that marked their artistic vocation. Actually, there was an exhibition with the same concept before the book. It was in 2020 at Haus Mödrath – Räume für Kunst in Kerpen, Germany, where the group exhibition Dream Baby Dream curated by Borcherdt opened. «The exhibition Dream Baby Dream presents artists whose work stems from the power of imagination,» reads the exhibition text, still on Gesine Borcherdt’s website. «They all evince a strong connection to childhood and youth, not just as a source of creative inspiration, but also as a metaphor for physical, psychological, and social conflicts. The interplay of the artists creates an atmosphere in which the dark sides of childhood and youth take on entirely new forms.»
Dream On Baby: Artists and Their Childhood Memories by Gesine Borcherdt. Photo courtesy of Hatje Cantz
