Traumarbeit by Elsi Vassdal-Ellis

When I was 12 Howard Carter saved me from bullies when I discovered him in the library. My dreams of becoming an archaeologist began. I read eclectically. Would it be Egypt or Pre-Columbian Americas or maybe China? At 17 I discovered academic gender bias and decided to make artifacts for future archaeologists to spite the sexist attitude of the college recruiter. The narrative of this book is divided into 9 pamphlets to read in any order with imagery reflecting my early archaeology dreams merged with memories of a dream inspired and influenced in part by a second reading of Herbert’s Dune and Pavić’s Dictionary of the Khazars. Cultural images included here are not appropriations per se but a celebration of cultures and curiosity of my youthful ambitions to be a renowned archaeologist. The digital collages combine stock, public domain, personal, vintage/antique photographs, copyright free clip art, scans of fabrics. The introduction/colophon pamphlet identifies sources for the curious.