Infinite Library

*On the occasion of the opening, we have arranged a shuttle bus between Düsseldorf and IKOB, which visitors can use free of charge. The departure is scheduled for 1:30 pm from the ZOB Düsseldorf (main train station). The return trip will take place around 6:00 pm. The travel time is approximately 1 1/4 hours. Interested parties are kindly asked to register at anmeldung@ikob.be by January 18th. Seats are limited to 30.

Christian Odzuck (*1978) has accompanied his conceptual artistic approach for many years with the production of occasionally elaborate catalog projects. His substantial library serves as the starting point for an in-depth, collaborative exploration of the theme of books and libraries. "Infinite Library" is thus simultaneously a walk-in exhibition, a three-dimensional book, and a reflection on the cultural significance of books.

For Christian Odzuck, the book is both a prerequisite and a condition. Specifically, the beginning of a new work inevitably marks the start of a new book. He describes this initial step as follows: “Merely opening a new document creates an entire world. Everything is possible. Two blank pages represent infinity.” The book can organize and document a thought process. Odzuck is especially interested in the simultaneity of these two processes. Moreover, the realization of the impossibility of achieving a definitive order is embedded in all of his expansive artworks and catalogs. However, this insight does not serve as an impediment but rather as the driving force behind his creative process.

Odzuck does not attempt to break the long-standing conventions of the book. Instead, he plays with them, seeking moments of dissolution within these structures. While the physical linearity of a book suggests a beginning and an end, conceptually, this is not the case, as a book can also be understood as an artwork, an object, or an image.

Notably, all of the catalogs presented, for the first time in their entirety, have been produced in the same format (17 × 24 cm). While each book is a self-contained work, collectively, they form a larger whole that continuously expands with each new volume. Together, the books constitute his "body of work," pointing to future publications and developments.