2023 RofC UKI Longlist - New Mindmapping Forms

[Hugh, Active moderator]

New Mindmapping Forms by Eva Ďurovec (Montez)

[Paul]

Envisaged as the third iteration of the spirit of Lola Montez (Lola, Maria, Mario), Montez Press was formed in 2012. We have since commissioned and published experimental work by artists, writers and thinkers with a focus on queer and intersectional feminist practices through the lens of artists’ writing. We are committed to curiosity, questioning established methods and systems, and engaging in open conversation and dialogue. Our methods are deeply collaborative. We seek to support unexpected creators, including those who may not receive institutional support due to social and economic systemic prejudices. We commit to a rigorous editorial process in our effort to produce work that takes risks and surprises and challenges the reader.

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

In terms of content I have to say that the opening part of the Blurb of this book undervalues its seriousness: the references to meatballs, stuck mice and cheesy snacks, basmati rice and organic underwear imply this is to journalling as Patricia Lockwood is to Twitter. All those ephemeral and entertaining references do occur, but they are scattered instances among text which is actually far more concerned with much more complex/weighty topics.

These include for example “infamous transformation of the school system under the Bologna Process”; the author's own artistic studies and work; Marxist like sociological reflections on late-capitalism and particularly the way in which society is structured around work and about preserving power structures (this is the main part of the book and a little too involved for me but it does cover the role of the kefala system for migrant workers in the Middle East and has a pretty accurate prediction – 5 years before now as the journal covers October 2017-February 2018 – of some of the performative hypocrisy that would accompany Western liberal reaction to the 2022 World Cup); the German and Czech rental and housing systems; and (perhaps the most interesting part for me) her struggles with what she has called “the deafening ringing of the myth of biological clock “ (and the various fertility treatments and appointments she and her boyfriend Marek attend).

All of this though most noticeably is produced by a literal rendering of the pages of her journal – as is best seen on the author’s own website (https://www.evadurovec.info/2017/12/2...) – in what is a fascinating piece of publishing experimentation but it has to be said unfortunately difficult to read. The author herself has said the journal was not originally designed for mass publishing.

I would also say that my own lack of engagement with the rather heavy content meant that the considerable efforts needed to engage with the form in which they were rendered felt not always rewarded.

But this 100 percent deserves its place on the longlist.