Olaf Nicolai - Cairo

Edition of 10 (+ 8 A.P)

Olaf Nicolai’s Cairo-diptych was made after the artist’s personal library caught fire. A dramatic event transformed into work and production.

A large collection of books, editions,… damaged. One by one carefully removed, saving what can be saved.

What remained in the library was an echo, a drawing in black soot. A black negative drawing caused by the fire- a ghost of what once was a library. The work is composed of two photographic lambda prints mounted in 2 lightboxes- the black negative and it’s inverted image alongside made visible through light. A negative becoming positive and vice versa.