During the summer of 2018, my daughter underwent approximately eight weeks of near-daily chest radiation treatments to stem the growth of thymoma tumor nodules. This followed the third surgery in her twelve years to remove the steadily growing tumors around her right lung. While the treatments were challenging, the fallout that followed over the winter was unbearable. During this time I sought solace in songs that directed my frustration away from people around me, including Black Star’s Respiration, with lyrics that expressed a metaphorical difficulty to breathe in an urban environment. Many of the words applied to our reality; rewriting the lyrics was an outlet for acknowledging the trauma.
An artists book, 'Respiration' is lettepress printed as a poster, with metal type composed to mimic the shape of lungs. It folds into hard covers, also letterpress printed with text forming lungs.
- designer, writer of updated lyrics, typesetter, printer
- Jennifer Farrell
- music duo, writers of original lyrics
- Black Star
