This is a diary of fevers, a cut-up traversing people and time, unfolding across the labyrinthine tapestry of personal histories. Through frenzy, it brings purification; through heat, it elicits moisture.

Unfolding across the month of February, it has been woven within a labyrinth of fevered mythologies of the self. It is amidst this maelstrom of intense heat that we first bore witness to the goddess Febris.

Throughout history, every age and culture has had its own responses to viral diseases, plagues, and epidemics. Beyond the modern technologies of medicine, ancient civilizations turned to their deities for guidance. The Greeks had “Februs,” and the Romans “Dea Febris,” both goddesses of fever and apotropaic deities with powers over a specific evil—powers to impose but also to lift such evils. Not having her own myth, Dea Febris is only mentioned in those of others, along with her two sisters. They were most commonly associated with malaria, and it is from them that the month of February gets its name. While the latter deity focused on protection, the former symbolized purification, offering valuable insights into the concept of pyrexia—the body’s inclination to elevate its temperature.

For the ancients, fever was both a symptom of infection and a defense mechanism against it. Today, in the house of health, fever stands as a mere intruder, a residual echo of long-forgotten mythologies, an ancient self-destructive urge, a psychosomatic crash.

This zine is an exploration of the human experience with fever dreams, weaving personal narratives collected from diverse individuals.

The accompanying digital collages not only illustrate the tales but also serve as modern sigils, capturing the essence of purification and protection against the ever-evolving landscape of infectious threats. This booklet becomes a tapestry of shared human experiences, melding art, history, and the surreal realms of fever-induced dreams.

As part of the group exhibition Perspectives in Celsius, the zine finds its place among works exploring temperature in diverse contexts. The exhibition delves into the aesthetics of thermal cameras, temperature as a medium in printing, its relationship with the human body, climate change, public infrastructure, and its role in popular culture.

With the support of the National Culture Fund.