picture books
J. Staub: A instrucção da creança / J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 1
J. Staub: A instrucção da creança / J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 2
J. Staub: A instrucção da creança / J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 3
J. Staub: J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 4
U. Kolkbrunner: J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 5
U. Kolkbrunner: J. Staub’s Bilderbuch, vol. 6
Positional note
I am a white, German, able-bodied cis-woman doing a PhD at a university in the South of Europe with the experience of growing up in a working-class milieu. In my work, I commit to the study of visual cultural, critical historiography in education and post-colonial, decolonial and feminist theory. I am particularly invested in images and imaginaries of 'nature' and the ways they are producing a hegemonic relations with the world and its beings.
I enter into the image. Through the projection her image lays upon mine. I take her posture. I step into the image and place the image in my body.
It is a violent act and the violence is of the kind that I recognize. That objectifying gaze that turns me into a posture that is for him, for his pleasure.
I recognize her violation as my own and yet we are different. Her image was made my ideal. To become her I would need to lose myself, lose that which even she might not consider ‘culture’. My working-class naturalness is her middle-class desire. “Too raw, too rough. Not spoiled yet. Still in touch with my intuition.” Still I stand here. Still, I stand here. I need to move. I turn. Not into her but around. Facing him. His white skin reflecting mine. Her postures lingering in my body, still.
Still and steady I move against that grain in my movements.
I flip the page.
I cannot enter.
My anger shifts, my sadness morphes, my feet don't move.
I, still, stand here, now differently moved.