Paper sculptures return to Edinburgh after their Scottish tour

Edinburgh’s Mysterious Book Sculptures return for homecoming exhibition following tour of Scotland

The beautiful literary sculptures are to be exhibited together at The Scottish Poetry Library for the first Book Week Scotland on 24 November 2012.

The gift of the mysterious book sculptures will return to the city where it all started as The Scottish Poetry Library and Edinburgh’s UNESCO City of Literature Trust supported tour of the sculptures returns to the capital as part of Scottish Book Week. All ten sculptures will be displayed in public together for the first time in the one venue in Edinburgh following a successful tour that began on August 17th and will took in Aberdeen, Dundee, Wigtown, Glasgow and Dunfermline before returning to Edinburgh on the 24th November ahead of Book Week Scotland. The creator of these sculptures remains a mystery and each of the pieces came with a unique message that included the line ‘in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….’. The tour was made possible as the ten original recipients have come together to ‘re-gift’ the sculptures to a wider Scottish audience.

Speaking on the tour Scottish Poetry Library Director Robyn Marsack said: – “These book sculptures have moved us not only because of their exquisite and intelligent craft, their tribute to what all of the recipient organisations try to nurture and share, but also because they are the purest of gifts, unrequested and anonymous. They remind us that we are a community that can dream, and nudge the impossible into the actual: a cap of feathers, a glove of bees’ fur.”

Between March and November 2011, 10 intricate book sculptures were found at various well known institutions across Edinburgh. Photographed as they were found by Edinburgh based photographer Chris Scott they became a social media sensation. News and images of sculptures were hosted on over 100 different blogs and news sites as the act of generosity has captured the imagination of millions around the world. Now libraries around the country have had the chance to host the sculptures as part of a Scottish tour supported by Creative Scotland.

Director of Creative Development Venu Dhupa praised the tour saying:

“Creative Scotland are excited to be able to support this distinctive and big-hearted project, an exhibition tour which celebrates not only the vital role of our local libraries and arts institutions, but the creativity and generosity of the anonymous sculptor. It’s about celebrating a truly Edinburgh story of creativity – and mystery – and taking that to libraries and communities throughout the country. The project aligns with the Year of Creative Scotland, highlighting one creative gesture that has taken hold of our imaginations – here in Scotland, and around the world.”

This tour will coincide with the publication of a luscious gift book centring on the sculptures, published by Birlinn, and to be launched on the works’ return to Edinburgh in November 2012, and will be enhanced with a series of events in each location, celebrating the artworks and encouraging audiences to explore their purpose and inspiration.

To find out more about the exhibition please visit: www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk

Followers on twitter can use the hashtag #GiftEDtour and connect on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/scottishpoetrylibrary