Karlsson’s surreal drawings appear on the left side of the page, Tosca’s prose scribblings on the right. Although there is a unity within the art of the two men, they work independently. In most pieces, the writing does not appear to incorporate the central images of the illustrations and vice-versa.
Yet the chap works! Karlsson’s weird, sexually charged drawings full of tits & cock are complimented by Tosca’s oddball, sexually-obsessed musings. The collection is a wild and wonderful collaboration: incredibly funny but tinged with a terrible sadness.
Karlsson says of the project and of Tosca’s contribution, “This book is really the result of a joint effort. Kevin put a great amount of time, money, and above all patience with me and my procrastination on this project.
“As I recall it all started with Kevin reaching out to me by 2019, expressing interest in the Svensk Apache Press. I wasn't too familiar with his work by then.
I've really come to love his writing. He's a force of nature. One thing that I think particularly makes him stand out in the poetry scene is his ability to completely change his writing style from time to time. It's fascinating. From book to book you never really know what Tosca stuff you're about to read.”
Tosca, who presently resides in Berlin, to date has declined all requests to talk about his work. Instead of clarifying the concepts and intention of his art, he refreshingly leaves it to the reader to make up their own minds.
The title Jessica Lange derives from the title piece ‘Tired of Right and Wrong’ in which the name of the American actor is mentioned:
I can watch Bob Rafelson’s Postman remake All. Night.
Long. They just don’t make ‘em like Jessica Lange
anymore.
Tosca’s fragmentary, sometimes surreal micro-fiction appears linked through the common theme of women. The narratives alter between first and third person and tersely comment on ex-lovers, the wives of Dali and Hemingway, a mother and women in general. Some sport titles. Others don’t.
The writing is short, each piece is typically 2-5 lines. Each is an experiment in form and idea. Many progress one sentence at a time, drawing unusual associations as the narrative advances.
Some of the more transparent fictions parody clichéd notions of female behavior or of male/ female relationships. In the following, Tosca mocks female insecurities about their appearance and also the male’s tendency to play the game:
Sadly, Janne Karlsson confirmed recently that his Swedish publishing company Svensk Apache has folded, “Yes, this is the last Apache publication to be published. It’s been a fantastic ride over more than a decade, but as we all know, it takes a shitload of time and work and people simply don't buy books anymore!”
Asked about what is next for him, Karlsson says, “I will probably continue to publish fanzines under a new banner. Just need a better printer and for that I need to work more. And bloody hell do I hate working, hahaha.”
To buy Jessica Lange or to see other Svensk Apache titles, visit www.svenskapache.se or www.lulu.com
To directly contact the publisher, email: svenskapache@gmail.com
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