Dream On, Baby

A tender portrait of how artists’ work reflects their childhood experiences, from Vaginal Davis to Ai Weiwei

Childhood never lets go of anyone. For many artists, it was the trigger for making art in the first place, and still is what drives them today. What formative memories spurred their creativity? What inspiration do they take from their childhood years? Curator Gesine Borcherdt conducts conversations with 33 artists on the influence of their childhood on their artwork. Transcribed from their original sound bites, these stories are illustrated by family photos, children’s drawings, portraits and examples of their current works. Their tales are touching, amusing or tragic; most have never been told before and their corresponding material has never been published.
Artists include: Marina Abramovic, Ai Weiwei, Jeff Koons, Valie Export, Lynda Benglis, Mona Hatoum, Marcel Dzama, Richard Billingham, Mike Nelson, Kader Attia, Yehudit Sasportas, Julius von Bismarck, Andro Wekua, Jordan Wolfson, Raphaela Vogel, Vaginal Davis, Wong Ping, Ernesto Neto.