INTRODUCTION Lydia Dambassina (Eng.)

I am not going to situate my work in a historical context, especially since that is not my domain. It is very probable that my work has already “been formulated, even several times, however, I am more interested in discussing its truth than if it is new or not”.
(J.L.Borges in Otras inquisiciones, 1952)
“History is a circle and there is nothing which has not already been which will not be again one day”.
(J.L.Borges in L’Aleph,1962)
“But the most unusual specular hoax is probably in “Pierre Menard, author of Quixote”. This writer invented by Borges did not set to copy Don Quixote”, but “his admirable ambition was to reproduce a few pages which would coincide – word by word and line by line – with those of Miguel de Cervantes”.
(C.Grau in Borges et l’architecture,1992)

“There is no internationally known writer who has not forged a symbol”
(J.L.Borges)
– this is true for all creators – and if “ the work harbours something magical, I consider it successful”.
(L.Bourgeois in Louise Bourgeois from M. L. Bernadac, 1995)
“I have always been attracted to the magical, the wonderful, the unreal”.
(R.Doisneau cited in “Le Monde”, 20-10-1995)
I would have liked to have a gigantic work behind myself but I often think that “ I put too much art into my life – too much energy – and as a result, I don’t have much left to give to art”.
(T.Modotti in Letter from Tina Modotti to Edward Weston, 1922-31)
“Today it is raining. These days are for the winter. These days are not for you. Don’t panic about your work. It will always get done, even late”.
(A.Akrithakis in l letter from Alexis Akrithakis to Lydia Dambassina, Berlin 29-5-1980)

-Lydia Dambassina