DIETER ROTH, Der Tränensee [The Lake of Tears], 1973
47,5 x 33 x 5,5 cm
artist’s book, letterpress newspaper printing
edition 150
signed, dated, numbered
published by the artist
good condition, although with discoloured cover due to aging
€ 2.200,-

Roth published regularly aphorisms in the Anzeiger Stadt Luzern und Umgebung placed among the paper’s usual advertisements. After a series of lines like ‘Ein Flugzeug its ein bözes Wort’ / “An airplane it is an evil word” , ‘Ausgeweint ist ausgeschlafen’ / “Finished crying is finished sleeping” and ‘Es wird einmal gewesen sein’ / “Once it will be has been”. The newspaper cancelled Roth’s campaign after too many readers complained about the incomprehensible messages that obviously didn’t advertise anything at all. In 1973 Dieter Roth published all his 248 aphorisms in ‘Das Tränenmeer’ (The Sea of Tears).

This artist’s book is also in the collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam: Dieter Roth Collection Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.

Aphorism: ‘Die Beweinen, die wollen beweint werden D.R.’