
"More"
10 of October 2024
Book release-Bookshop Situation Series
Index foundation
The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation
Kungsbrostrand 19
11226 Stockholm
More (2023)
16 A4 pages, color
A steamy lesbian fantasy trash fiction piece real-deal institutional critique in a long awkward poem.
Part two of In Like a Lioness Out Like a Lioness (2022) a research project at KKH.
Dear reader,
Don’t read.
Nothing happens in the end.
She doesn’t want me,
she will never.
I only write about wanting her.
It is tormenting
not to be in,
you don’t need to feel sorry for me and remember
—
I don’t know anything true about her.
I have never seen her cry or held her hand,
and we never shared a meal when the twin towers were collapsing.
My attraction to her can be explained
by someone with a psychology degree, surely.
Still,
I’m jealous of whoever gets to spend any time alone with her.
Important people or those who are important to her.
I promise I’m fine just being a collectable, a part of her expanding collection of connections,
a member of her network,
someone from the 5th circle or a tourist in her 2nd.
Mingling awkwardly at her party,
looking at her from across the room
like I want to ask her to dance.
I wish I could have said something smart instead of rambling as she told me to take care
so I could fuck off.
Alexey,
say something while I’m trying to recover from emotionally collapsing near the prosecco station,
all because she hugged me ‘hello’ as if we were close friends.
I’m here for her, but it’s over. She is really leaving.
I worded something empty,
“Thank you for everything,”
but I’m sure she knew I felt like the world was ending.
What is wrong with me?
Am I spiralling?
No.
I’m going to another party while I’m still smiling.
I want her to be happy and enjoy her lavish life.
I hope I won’t think about her too often and focus on my future family and my loving wife.
This part from "More" is part two of In Like a Lioness Out Like a Lioness (2022) a research project at KKH, conducted in the frame of the course Collective Practices II, Symbiotic Organizations.
More is a continuation of a story about desire. It revolves around a power imbalance between two female art professionals in Stockholm. The story begins when one of the key players in the local art scene moves abroad after failing to secure the coveted director position of a major Museum. The narrator, heartbroken over this departure, shares a series of short anecdotal stories that reflect her near-all-consuming infatuation with the person. The text delves into themes of Jewish identity, status anxiety, and Swedish social norms and combines institutional critique, lesbian erotica, and free-verse poetry. More is the second book in a series following In Like a Lioness Out Like a Lioness (2022). It was written in 2023, edited, and printed in late 2024 and is currently available in limited copies. The book will be available in green and red versions offering different hidden texts highlighted in color.
The texts were printed in digital print on Munken paper in 200 copies by CH TRYCKERI.
You can order a copy with delivery by post by writing to me here.
'In Like a Lioness Out like a lioness' (2022) is available in limited copies at Index - The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation,
Digital Audio copies in three versions are available via QR code/ link. For a link DM me at https://www.instagram.com/tal_gilad_/?hl=en
More (2024) is available from 10/10/24 to order and at Index.
Acknowledgements:
Anne Klontz, Isabella Tjäder, Martí Manen,