At The Armory Show 2009 in March we spoke with artist Heide Hatry about her new book Heads and Tales. Heads and Tales features photographic documentations of sculptures created by Heide Hatry out of animal skin and body parts. The book is a collaborative anthology consisting of Heide Hatry’s images and stories by 27 prominent and emerging authors.

Heide Hatry intended her sculptures to provide springboards for stories, reminiscences of meditations on the lives of women. Her “Heads” are complimented by “Tales” by Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro, Roberta Allen, Jennifer Belle, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, Svetlana Boym, Rebecca Brown, Mary Caponegro, Thalia Field, Lo Galluccio, Diana George, Thyrza Nichols Goodeve, Jessica Hagedorn, Elizabeth Hand, Heather Hartley, Joanna Howard, Katia Kapovich, Lydia Millet, Micaela Morrissette, Carol Novack, Julie Oakes, Barbara Purcell, Selah Saterstrom, Johannah Schmid, Iris Smyles, Luisa Valenzuela, Anna Wexler and Can Xue. Artist Marina Abramovic says about the book: “They say the human face is the door to the soul. Heads and Tales gives a moving and original view on this subject. Who are we really?”

Heide Hatry is a visual artist and curator. She grew up in Germany, where she studied art at various art schools and art history at the University of Heidelberg. Since moving to NYC in 2003 she has curated several exhibitions in Germany, Spain and the USA (notably Skin at the Goethe Institut in New York, the Heidelberger Kunstverein and Galeria Tribeca in Madrid, Spain; Out of the Box at Elga Wimmer PCC in NYC, Carolee Schneemann, Early and Recent Work, A Survey at Pierre Menard Gallery in Cambridge, MA and Meat After Meat Joy at Daneyal Mahmood Gallery, NYC). She has shown her own work at museums and galleries in those countries as well and edited more than a dozen books and art catalogues. Kehrer Verlag published her book Skin in 2005.

Heads and Tales has been published by Charta Art Books (Milan/ New York, 2009). The book is accompanied by an exhibition at Elga Wimmer Gallery in New York (until May 2nd, 2009). Readings at the gallery on April 25, 4 – 6pm by authors of the book and a conversation with Heide Hatry and an art critic (TBA).

Heide Hatry: Heads and Tales. Interview at The Armory Show 2009.

> Right-click (Mac: ctrl-click) this link to download Quicktime video file.