Book Arts Tuesday-Scottish Mystery

Several people have contacted me about this story of the mysterious book sculptures which have been appearing at libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland. As it's made its away around facebook and twitter, I thought it might already be familiar to many. However, it's just too good a story not to share.

It began in March when staff at the Poetry Library of Scotland found this magical creation on a table. An attached tag was addressed to the library's twitter account and said:

It started with your name @byleaveswelive and became a tree.… ... We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books… a book is so much more than pages full of words.… This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas….. a gesture (poetic maybe?)

More have appeared in libraries and book places in Edinburgh. Garry Gale of the Music Library in Edinburgh deduced the creator as the pieces looked like one he had previously purchased from an artist. Instead of revealing the identity, the Edinburgh Evening News polled its readers: Do you really want to know, it asked its readers, who made these gorgeous teacups and dragons and magnifying glasses, or would you rather honor the artist, and let him/her remain anonymous? They said no.

Here are two places to read about and view the sculptures:

Robert Krulwich's blog at npr

This is Central Station