This is by no means a documentary work about Tivoli or its history. In fact the place itself is never really shown in its entirety, but instead we are given little details of people, from various nationalities, ethnicities and ages all drawn together to this place which seems to be somewhat set in an orient backdrop. The faces that we assume, or hope, are engaged in concentration for whatever amusement attraction is on hand, quickly become faces of despair and fear.
Brian Palmer, the filmmaker who discusses the project with Birgitta in the book, is a documentary film maker who has worked in war zones touches on the body language of people with guns, either real or fake, eliciting a "...deadly stance - so familiar to me as a journalist with US troops in Iraq - appears to be so easily pantomimed. When the festive context of Tivoli is stirpped away, I'm confronted with how deeply embedded these violent gestures are in us and in our cultures.."
"The Garden is a contemporary photographic tale, that uses Tivoli Gardens, an old amusement park in the middle of Copenhagen Denmark as an allegory. Here people of all different nationalities and ethnicities meet in a world of fantasy. An imaginary Orient with fake palaces and minarets is the backdrop of the place. It’s a surreal world, yet it mirrors the dreams and fears of life outside the entrance." Birgitta Lund.
The book is published by Space Poetry, 64 pages, softbound with 23 color photos and a text/discussion between Birgitta and Brian Palmer.
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