now a folding takes place
that takes your breath away
heartswells become the altarpiece of your hands
they hover
toward you, my quiet one,
my true one
...
~ Images by Gisèle Celan-Lestrange from Correspondance Paul Celan, Gisèle Celan-Lestrange : (1951-1970), Paris : Éditions du Seuil, 2001
~ Text fragments by Paul Celan
8 comments:
wow, i was just thinking of buying this book today because i saw it in a catalogue, but i couldn't remember if this was the one with these images, then i see this box of shadows.
i wonder where the actual works are.
thank you.
never seen her visual works, these are beautiful! i can't imagine there isn't a nice book on them... but of course so many things i can't imagine there aren't nice books on, and there still are not!
I believe most of her works are in private collections...
And, yes, it is hard to believe there isn't a nice book on them...monographs perhaps...
There is one book that I know of devoted exclusively to Celan Lestrange:
"Gisele Celan-Lestrange und Paul Celan." Although there is a German written essay about Celan, there seems to be one also about Celan-Lestrange (my German is non-existent). The highlight is that it contains an extensive monograph of Celan-Lestrange's work. I can't remember where/when I got this book, but I believe it was for an opening of her work at a gallery, maybe a decade ago?
Her original work generally sells for around $300+ & is relatively scarce, but if you can swing it, they are absolutely beautiful creations. As fabulously wonderful as Celan's poems. Perhaps even more so. Her work is terribly underrated right now.
Great blog site!
Thank you so much for this information and for visiting the site! I will certainly look for the book you mention, though my German is equally non-existent. I do dream of learning some day though, as so many of my favorite works are in German! I agree, her output is at least terribly unknown! And so amazing! Indeed, it would be lovely to have an original in my very own world…
The other thing "available" is the bibliophile reproduction edition of Celan & Celan-Lestrange's "chapbooks": Breath Crystal & Black Duty. They are combined into one volume & supposedly it's immensely well done, especially in regards to the etchings. I meant to get it a decade ago when it came out. It was selling for around $100, & I forgot about it for a week then it was completely gone. Now it's up around $600 to get a copy.
Better to spend one's money by picking up a couple of original etchings in my opinion.
If you really want an original Celan Lestrange, contact Galerie La Hune Brenner in Paris. They have (or had) the best selection available anywhere a few years ago.
Also there's a gallery that seems to have a limited selection that sells them on different ebays around the world. Google "Celan-Lestrange etching" & you can't miss him. I picked one up from him for about $180 last year. I can't comment on its authenticty or not, however everything down to the autograph & the way the print is numbered looks perfectly in line with the other two works of hers I have.
I was actually looking for another of her etchings & googled that phrase & that's how I found your blog.
Again, many thanks for this information! So glad you found the site...
Thank you for visiting - you have a lovely blog! I agree, Celan-Lestrange's work is not known as it should be - and such amazing images! The collaboration between the two is just stunning...
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