Olga Ravn: "Abracadabra is both word and object"
Folklore and witchcraft are just some of the subjects the internationally acclaimed author, Olga Ravn, has explored in her work. Here she gives a glimpse into her creative process in crafting the novel, THE WAX CHILD.
By Olga Ravn, as told to Karoline Markholst
“At the moment I’m very interested in the nose. By which I mean: I’m interested in sense of smell and how we use it, how smell can be triggered by words.
My nose interest is part of a broader interest in the way medieval understanding of art didn’t subscribe to the idea of our having five, segregated senses, nor to the idea of separate artistic genres. And, more generally, I’m interested in exploring how my own artistic practice can liberate itself from specific genres such as literature or visual art.
For example, at the moment I’m developing a scent for my forthcoming book with perfumer Lisbeth Jacobsen, and we’ve spoken a lot about chalk, beeswax and apples.
Over the years I’ve also been very immersed in folklore and witch trial archives – especially when it comes to the relationship between objects and words in rituals or religious practises. At first glance, ritualistic texts, chants and magic words can seem obscure and nonsensical, but when you consider them from a literary perspective, they open up in the most beautiful ways.
In archived magical texts, objects and words are considered one and the same; abracadabra is both word and object, which makes a lot of sense when you come from a poetry background.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Olga Ravn has penned a number of award-winning books, including THE EMPLOYEES, MY WORK and, most recently, THE WAX CHILD – a novel rooted in the historical events of the 17th-century Danish witch trials.