FLAVORPILL-CHICAGO
September 5th, 2009
Molly Springfield: Translation
by Karsten Lund
Layered acts of translation, both linguistic and visual, drive Molly Springfield's latest project. First the artist photocopied every page of the opening chapter of Proust's In Search of Lost Time; then she replicated them as pencil drawings with astonishing fidelity. But Springfield goes one step further, alternating between every existing English translation of the novel. The plot thickens as you start reading. Due to different typographic choices, hidden abysses crop up between pages — sentences cut off abruptly and sections disappear. Paragraphs also begin repeating as the pages go on, revealing the translators' contrasting word choices and phrasings. There's a quiet wow-factor to Springfield's impeccable draughtsmanship but the pay-off is more intellectual and contemplative.
by Karsten Lund
Layered acts of translation, both linguistic and visual, drive Molly Springfield's latest project. First the artist photocopied every page of the opening chapter of Proust's In Search of Lost Time; then she replicated them as pencil drawings with astonishing fidelity. But Springfield goes one step further, alternating between every existing English translation of the novel. The plot thickens as you start reading. Due to different typographic choices, hidden abysses crop up between pages — sentences cut off abruptly and sections disappear. Paragraphs also begin repeating as the pages go on, revealing the translators' contrasting word choices and phrasings. There's a quiet wow-factor to Springfield's impeccable draughtsmanship but the pay-off is more intellectual and contemplative.
