We all started out with our own singular, confused-but-creative view of the world. For many of us, these views hardened into actual facts. This book is a collection of some of these childhood imaginings; conceived by children but remembered by adults. These idiosyncratic histories inspired by our own limited life experiences are more than just a shared belief in Father Christmas.
As children, we are magicians, painters, writers, dancers, storytellers, singers, masters of play, and accomplished all-around make-believers. We create parallel worlds and people; our imaginations are unfettered by logic. As adults, we segregate and compartmentalize almost everything, including art and artists. We relegate some and elevate others. Ultimately, we delegate the job of creativity to those whom we believe do it better.
In these times when new and unexpected things divide us, where life leaves little room for imagination, these beliefs can remind us of our common roots and of how creative we used to be.
These stories have been shared by many generous adults, drawn by Kamil Macejko, and collected by Rachel Karafistan. Text in English, German and Polish.
About the Author: Rachel Karafistan is a British performer, teacher, academic, and director based in Berlin. In 2001 she completed her PhD research into Shamanic dimensions within contemporary theatre practice. For many years, Rachel ran regular workshops exploring the connections between the actor and the shaman internationally and often with her long-term collaborator, Professor Brian Bates. Rachel was an actor with internationally acclaimed Polish company Teatr Biuro Podróży from 2000 - 2003. Aside from her performing and directing work with COSmino, Rachel has directed for Greenwich Theatre and East 15 Acting School, Northampton and Leeds Universities and since 2017 Rachel and Kuba of COSmino have worked as visiting directors for Salzburg Landestheater, Austria where they directed King A in 2017 and Paula's Reisen which premiered in Spring 2019. Rachel's latest solo performance Dreams Die Hard premiered in October 2018 in Berlin and is currently on tour. Rachel is a faculty member at Arthaus Berlin.
Kamil Maciejko is a nocturnal being who only drinks coffee and eats mozzarella. He never wears pyjamas and in the smoky hours of darkness reads Terry Pratchett, listens to music, and draws. He lives in Berlin.
