The British Library

An insightful installation by Yinka Shonibare at the Old Reference Library in Brighton as part of the Brighton Festival.

This consisted of thousands of reclaimed books bound in his trademark African inspired wax cloth a hybrid of Indonesian design and Dutch manufacture. Many had gold foil spines with the name of familiar people who has immigrated to England such as Darcey Bussell, Handel and T.S. Eliot. They were put back onto the shelves of the old library. The idea was to create a record of immigrants who have made an impression on British culture.

This was a beautiful work but because the contents of the books themselves did not matter, because no one was taking them off the shelves and reading them and because the centre of the room was empty of desk and clutter I found the show had a rather deadening cold effect.  But then that might just be the librarian in me speaking!

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