Unwording Chimaera (2016)

Unwording Chimaera (2016) is a set of works for Brazilian art journal, Abrigo Portatil that hinge on the word with its unsettled linguistics and contested cultural lineage. Unwording Chimaera is both the title of a text-score, as well as a procedure for freeing the body in and from language.  Book worked with guest editor, Cristiane Bouger to render a text-score that can be read and performed.  Her contributions to the online version of the journal included a short essay on her concept of voicing bodies, as well as two video works - one a live performance of the text-score at Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn, NY in 2016 and the other one a piece of the large scale project, Unreading for Future Bodies, called “Derangements: a monster study” (2014)

Abrigo Portatil [English translation: ‘portable shelter’] is a well regarded art journal produced in Brazil and distributed globally.  It is published online and in print in Portuguese.  

Performance no. 5 issue was guest edited by artist and critic, Cristiane Bouger.

Projects and contributions include:

  • Introductory essay by Book, “Desire is a Polyphony with no Coda”

  • Performance text-score by Book, “Unwording Chimaera”

  • Introductory essay by Bouger

  • Performance video of working text-score by Book, Powerhouse Arena, Brooklyn, NY

  • Video from the “Unreading for Future Bodies” project by Book, “Derangements: a monster study”

  • Biography of Book

Link to online platform for this issue, which also includes Tania Brughera and Guillermo Gomez-Pena, among others: http://www.abrigoportatil51.com/

Link to Lynn Book pages: http://www.abrigoportatil51.com/lynn-book.html

Lynn Book