Can we choose who we inherit from? According to Annemarie Wadlow (1993) we can indeed. She points out that there are many more possibilities than simply accepting or refusing an inheritance. Wadlow argues in favour of also searching beyond our own families for people we would like to inherit from for the purpose of shaping our identities. As inheriting usually concerns the transfer of properties or goods, we have to find new ways to enable people without mutual blood-ties to pass things on to each other. For her own work, Wadlow is therefore looking into a variety of sources. To her, a text from a well-maintained archive is no more important than a fragment of a conversation she overhears by accident. She learned about this feminist approach from other female makers and thinkers; it helps her give a voice to people who have remained unheard until now. Their voices speak directly to the artist via the types of autofiction she is particularly interested in, like diaries, autobiographies, or memoires.
Wadlow’s interest in heritage began when she was going through the archive of her grandparents, who had fled Germany in the 1930s. Through videos, writing, and drawing, she kept track of the things she learned about them during this search. At Prospects, Wadlow is showing a number of these drawings. They provide an insight into how history can impact later generations. “This makes these drawings almost comparable to a diary,” the artist explains. Visitors are thus able to see which voices and stories have shaped the artist.
Text: Jorne Vriens
Translation from Dutch to English: Marie Louise Schoondergang