Working with Penguin and The British Museum, The Reading Agency have given reading groups the chance to explore their local museums and tell us all about their favourite discoveries. We’re showcasing the best entries on Reading Groups for Everyone throughout December. Today we’re presenting a mysterious submission from Scotland.
Edinburgh’s mysterious book sculptures
During the course of 2011, ten extraordinary paper sculptures were delivered anonymously to various literary institutions in Edinburgh. All were beautifully crafted, meticulous in detail and each one grew, literally, out of a book. Every piece told a story based on the book from which it was created, and was designed with the target institution in mind. In addition, each sculpture held a unique tag line as well as the recurring mantra, “in support of libraries, words, books and ideas”.
This recurring phrase gives the only clue to the motivation for the project – that society needs to weigh up the cost of making culture less accessible, spoken from the heart of a gifted artist whose childhood was enriched by being able to walk freely into museums, libraries and galleries. And this remains all we know about the creator of these exquisite works of art.
In a period of history in which money and status are strong influences, these sculptures are an example of a pure labour of love with no expectation of personal recognition or financial gain. The whole collection is a gift to the nation which comes with an important message aimed at protecting our culture and future generations’ enjoyment of it.
Contributor: Jenny Cooper, St Regulus Book Club, St Andrews.
