brody neuenschwander by mien kaba 2019 series of twelve handbags / nr. 7 of 12

The 2019 series of twelve handbags is a collaboration between Brody Neuenschwander and me. Brody Neuenschwander is a calligrapher and text artist living in Bruges. He works on every conceivable material, from paper and parchment to metal, glass, textiles and the human body. He has worked for more than 30 years with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, collaborating on films, operas, installations and performances. For me as a leatherworker collaborating with this artist gives a special energy and meaning to each handbag.

"Would you agree to make a work of calligraphy on leather, if I told you I was going to cut it into pieces?” 

brody neuenschwander

Surprisingly, this is his first time to work on leather. Brody Neuenschwander composed a text that imagines what a dearly loved handbag would say to its owner. It is a sort of love letter between purse and person. The calligraphy was written over one very long piece of painted leather, which was then cut up to make the twelve handbags. The text can be reconstructed by putting all the handbags in a row.  After the exposition only the new owners of the separate handbags can bring the calligraphy together again.

“You hold me, I hold you, all your hopes, fears and dreams are archived in the pockets of my heart.  I have entrusted to you my secret desires.  Take me with you.  Never leave me behind. I need to know you are there, protecting my treasures.  Centuries from now, when archeologists dig through my settled layers, they will find, in the depths, a bundle of love letters, and they will know we loved each other.”