Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Troels Jorn's book








Molly had this wonderful book for her 1-year birthday that many of you are probably already familiar with: "Troels Jorns bog om den sultne løve, den glade elefant, den lille mus og Jens Pismyre" [~"Troels Jorn's book about the hungry lion, the happy elephant, the little mouse and Jens Piss Ant"] written and drawn by his father, the Danish Cobra artist Asger Jorn. The book is originally from the late 1940s but it was refound in the 60s by the artist and his son at the attic. It wasn't published until after the artist had passed away in 1973 and has now come in a new edition.

The book has already become a favourite here, and we have read it over and over again. The story is really fun reading with lots of nonsense words and repetitions, and the handwritten (and very expressionistic) text works as illustration in itself with BIG letters for shouting and trembling letters for scarry feelings etc. The illustrations are of course very Cobra inspired with the group's ideas about the spontaneous abstract painting held in mind as well as their fascination of the childish universe and children's fantasy.



The book reminds me about Egon Mathiesen's fantastic children's books, written in the same period - here and here.

7 comments:

  1. This is a real statement against the glitter-princess-books around.

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  2. Den kendte jeg ikke - tak for info. Jeg synes den minder mig lidt om nogle af Peter Mouritzens børnebøger, som også er ret skøre & skægge!

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    1. Den vil I/du helt sikkert elske! Jeg vidste faktisk ikke, at Peter Mouritzen havde lavet deciderede børnebøger - jeg husker hans bøger for større børn, som jeg syntes var sjove og uhyggelige.

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  3. Åh, det er min favoritbog fra min egen barndom :-) Har læst den tusindvis af gange og læser den fortsat for Frida og Sigurd. Den er fantastisk!
    Kh. Sidsel

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    1. Sidsel, hvor der det hyggeligt, at du selv har haft den som barn! Jeg elsker virkelig også at læse den op for Frida Viola - den er både sjov, sød og fræk :)

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  4. Den er så fantastisk. Den har Ingrid også lige fået i 2 års fødselsdagsgave. ;)

    Kh Pernille

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