wkng & tkng with Aristotle
wkng & tkng with Aristotle (2024)
by Tatjana Bergelt
Edition of 11 copies
In Paulowna wooden box, 36 x 22 x 2 cm
Techniques: original pencil drawing, wooden letter stamps, stencil, oil paint.
Hot foil embossing, coptic binding
Japanese papers: Japa Shoji, Tosa Shoji, Mitsumata, Hotokawa Kozo & archival paper
Complete prospectus: wkng & tkng with Aristotle prospectus
wkng & tkng with Aristotle is the newest artist’s book creation by Tatjana Bergelt. This edition, which is limited to 11 copies, was printed and bound entirely by the hand of the artist.
The work interprets Aristotle’s concept of the virtues and his peripatetic ideas through a precisely color-coded graphical visualization. The work comprises 8 original pencil drawings, followed by a series of 11pages, one for each virtue, stamped with wooden letters, and 11 rubber-block printed compositions that interrogate the range of each virtue, all executed by hand, by the artist herself. The work also includes an original text by Bergelt which contextualizes Aristotle’s ethical concepts.
Studying the philosophical concepts embedded in "Walking and talking with Aristotle" required Bergelt to engage in an intensive dialog with the philosopher. In order to create the synergy necessary to immerse herself in this conversation, the artist chose a meticulous hands-on and labor-intensive process, requiring heightened focus.
The 8 original drawings were drawn and redrawn 11 times, the 10 words printed with wooden letters were hand stamped letter by letter, and the rubber-block printed compositions were inked and printed one form at a time – thus each of the 11 copies entailed hundreds of hand impressions. The hot foil embossed words were set and pressed one by one, 4 per page, making use of a Krause manual press. The work employs four distinct Japanese papers, differentiated by their rattle or sound, transparency and softness. Finally, the bindings were hand-stitched by the artist.
The book is housed in a Japanese wooden box made of Paulownia wood, with an inlay of thin board covered with wax paper. The box is very light in color and weight, and carries a rubber-block print on the cover. All prints were executed with oil color.
Artist’s Statement:
The project Walking & Talking with Aristotle originated during my residency at The Finnish Institute at Athens in 2023. Initially, I focused on exploring narrative techniques in Aristotle’s Rhetoric, but my attention soon shifted to the Theory of Ethics and in particular the virtues. Aristotle’s concept of virtues as the Golden Mean - a balanced state between excess and deficiency—prompted me to reflect on its significance for achieving a harmonious society and a balanced life.
Excess and deficiency, expressed via words and forms, vary in their distance from the golden mean - the virtue itself. Since what constitutes excess or deficiency depends on individual personality traits, the choices we have to make to cultivate or counteract them also differ uniquely for each person. At times, the absence of an honorable behavior may be further away from the virtue than the excess of it.
In order to differentiate the virtues I attributed to each a color, creating a visual color - code. Research on the historical meaning of colors and their psychological impact informed and inspired me. The title derives from the founder of the Peripatetic school, Aristotle himself, emphasizing walking and thinking as integral to his philosophical explorations.