Itchy itchy little knife (in collaboration w/ neneh noï)

2025
Mixed media installation
black carpet with stitched white fabric, sound installation, cushions

Itchy itchy little knife is a participatory installation bringing together the work of Anthe Hermans and a commissioned audio piece by poet neneh noï.

At the center lies the knife: a utensil for domestic use and at the same time a possible weapon to harm or defend. In the installation, the knife is stretched out across the floor in the form of a stitched carpet, inviting you, the visitor, to walk its path as if entering a labyrinth. A wobbly stream guides you along the handle, the edge, the sharp point, and across the spine until you reach the other side.

The labyrinth knife takes its cue from meditation labyrinths found in medieval European churches. These labyrinths serve as a reliably safe meditation walk, the most known example being one in the French in Cathedral in Chartres. Its modern incarnations are now sold on Etsy as foldable blankets.

From a nearby speaker, noï’s voice serves as a guide, a mischief, someone you can trust—or maybe just enjoys your discomfort. Their words drift between a bod(il)y scan and an instruction.