2010
Nobody, no man
What kind of name is that for a line of brooches? Is this modesty to the point of self-denial?
Or is it an answer? It was certainly the perfect rejoinder in the Iliad, when the monstrous Polyphemos, one-eyed and clueless, asked who goes there in his cave. “Outis," said Odysseus, cunningly punning on his name, which happened to sound so much like the ancient Greek word for nobody.
Or does it mean the brooch makes its wearer a nobody? Or somebody unlike anybody else? An utterly unique individual?
When Polyphemos devoured Odysseus’ comrades, Odysseus put out the giant’s eye. “Nobody, my friends, is trying to kill me,” cried the terrible mouth that had eaten the men. Odysseus had just shown him what a nobody could do.
My parents had a shop. Customers and strangers usually entered it with a greeting. To distinguish family members and employees, they were required to call out “it’s nobody” loud and clear when setting foot into the door.
Somebody is behind every Outis. All the more so when that somebody pins on Outis.
| outis 3 brooches brooch 2009, gold, 34 x 25 x 9 mm brooch 2010, copper, 42 x 42 x 26 mm brooch 2010, Silber, 60 x 28 x 26 mm |
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