This piece consists of six diaries arranged in a circle on the floor inside the old town hall of Roskilde. In the middle of the circle, a purple lightbulb is placed. Its light reveals and distorts the ornamented walls and objects in the room. The diaries are all written in luminescent ink.
The six diaries explore a scenario wherein the sun has stopped shining 20 years ago. The various diary writers are all living in Roskilde. They describe their lives, and the new phenomena that have occurred since the disappearing of the sun. One of the new phenomena is that people have begun to shine when they tell stories. This means that storytelling is seen as a possible solution to the lack of light and a research study is begun with a base in the old town hall of Roskilde. The diaries presented at the exhibition are the results of this study.
The books exist in a Danish and an English version.
Chart of Darkness
Excerpt from Jomei’s Diary, Second story:
The darkness has always been between me and Bai. We share it like an untold story behind all of our other activities. Like when Bai sometimes loosens his black hair that goes all the way to his feet. I know why he has to carry this reference on his head.
I want to tell that story, and I think I know how to begin it. The story will make me grow. Grow like a plant, a little longer into the truth and reality that Bai has talked so much about lately.
Excerpt from Bai’s diary,
Day 3:
For a long time I thought it was just Ellen who glowed. Back then I did not know what caused it or how it worked. Now I know that everyone does it. It has been quite hard to make people tell anything. Most people still want to be alone with me when they do. But sometimes I see people gather at the fountain in front of the story hall. They lean towards each other and glow secretly in the thin darkness. Not many return to the story hall, but there is a group who comes here almost every day. Especially after Alba started helping me with my work. I want to focus my research on this group.
Excerpt from Alba's Diary,
The parrot:
I can kind of understand why my parents traveled so much in their youth. I always try to compare my life to theirs which is of course stupid. It was the light times.
I have a picture of my mom. She has a parrot on her head and another bird with a huge beak on her arm. The birds have bright colors. It looks like she is being tickled by the parrot. She has a big laugh. I used to look at this picture when we met people who had a light source. Mostly jars with luminescents but sometimes a generator and actual electric light. My mom looks different in different light.
Excerpt from Alba's Diary,
The encounter:
Me and Zain went to the story hall together. He seems to fit in very well. He played with Bais sister Ellen. They build a model of a sunset on the floor?. Zain told her about the last sunset so we could all see it. The whole sky was red and waving like an ocean. We dipped our fingers in it and investigated the purple drops rolling down our hands and arms. A bird landed on my head. I think it was a parrot.
Excerpt from Ellen's Diary,
4:
I went for a walk a few hours ago. All the way out to the edge of the city and the light fence that surrounds the city. The light there is the whitest light I have ever seen. It makes my eyes squeeze together. As if I ate a lemon! Maybe that is how light the sun once was?
I went to look at the light fence at the highway. I don’t know why I check on them. I just feel really good about knowing if they change. Or if they don’t. But anyway, today I did a thing I do sometimes. I put my arm into the darkness. To check on it. And the same thing happens every time. Every time I put my hand in there I feel someone holding it.