Moi aussi

Artist’s book (one of the few by Sophie Calle): a work inspired by the artist’s “birthday ritual”, listing all the gifts she has received over fourteen years, set against the collection of some 22,700 books and objects given to François Mitterrand as part of his duties during his two terms in office.

“Since 1980, I kept my birthday presents and I continued this rite during fourteen consecutive years. That is to say, almost like during the two seven-year terms of François Mitterrand’s presidency. François Mitterrand created the Musée du Septennat in 1986 to exhibit the presents he received as a President during his two seven-year terms (1981-1995). Thus, fourteen years. Having a year lead, I thought to title this book Lui Aussi. But due to his office and the number of our respective presents – about 318 for me, and about 4700 objects and 18000 books for him, I inverted the order. The choice of the photographed presents in this book is not related to their symbolic importance, or to their value, or to François Mitterrand’s preferences.They are a personal selection.”
Sophie Calle

This artist’s book Moi Aussi is published as an edition of 1600 copies (19 x 23,5 cm, portrait format, red velvet cover, 80 pages, Japanese stab binding, perforated fold). It is closed by three satin ribbons, knotted around the book. With its cover in three sections, it opens like a case. Two kinds of papers : a rose paper for the François Mitterrand’s presents (the visible pages show the exhaustive list of the presents offered to the President each year, whereas the Japanese stab binding hides a selection of images of some presents), and a white paper for the Sophie Calle’s presents (the visible pages show the exhaustive list of the presents offered to the Artist each year, whereas the Japanese stab binding hides the pictures of the displays showing her presents).