A N D R Á S B Ö R Ö C Z
Budi Book
Budi is a trip along a river through the land of Budi
(slang for outhouse in Hungarian). With long horizontal pages —many of them foldouts to further capture the extensive landscape—the "budi" world is populated with anthropomorphized outhouses busy with life and its activities. The transparency of the paper layers the outhouses, as the viewer is able to see back and forward
in the story through the pages.
In this book Böröcz included a poem about the outhouse
(in both German & English translation) by Bertold Brecht, which is from one of his earliest dramas, "Baal" (1922).
In all the world, the place he liked best
Was not the bench, upon his parents' rest.
Was not the confessional, nor some whore’s room
Nor the warm white comfort, of the womb.
Orge thought the best place known to man,
In this world was the outhouse, and:
This was the place, to set the cheeks aglow,
With stars above, filth and shit below.
A place of refuge, where you have the right
To sit in private, on your wedding night.
A place of truth, for you must admit
You are a man, there’s no hiding it.
A place of wisdom, where the gut turns out
To gird itself up, for another bout.
Where you are always doing good by stealth
Exerting tactful pressure for your health.
and now you realize, how far you've gone:
Using the Outhouse -- to gorge on.
(excerpt from Bertold Brecht's "Baal")
2008
Designed and bound by Robbin Ami Silverberg,
published by Dobbin Books, NY