Magali Duzant
La vie is like that
Seaton Street Press, New York — 2024
La vie is like that takes its inspiration from the philosophical thought experiment 'The Ship of Theseus,' which reflects on the concept of the persistence of identity - if every part of an object is replaced over time is it the same object?
La vie … explores the connection between language and identity. The impetus for the work began as I was learning a new language(s) whilst my father began forgetting his own. The work, in text and images, touches upon themes of change, immigration, connection, dementia, loss, speech, love, and humor. The book is structured as an alphabet primer (A is for Aphasia... E is for Emerson... U is for Umzug) that blends languages - reflecting my father's combinations of French, Creole, and English, as well as my own study of German. Weaving its way between Greek myth, the lives of writers, Japanese shrines, grammar, and personal observations, the text builds a narrative around shifting identity and asks how the language we use shapes the people we become.
