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All the United Kingdom Scotland Edinburgh Edinburgh Book Sculptures

Edinburgh Book Sculptures

Anonymously sculpted and donated, these sculptures made from poetry books and pages are sprinkled around the city.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Added By
Brooke C
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The original “Poetree.”   Mihaela Bodlovic/used with permission
The original “Poetree.”   Mihaela Bodlovic/used with permission
At the Scottish Poetry Library.   Mihaela Bodlovic/used with permission
Patrick Geddes, Riddle’s Court   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Sculpture donated to Filmhouse Cinema   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Filmhouse   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Central Library   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
“Lost World”, National Museum of Scotland   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
‘Dragon’s Nest’, donated to the Scottish Storytelling Centre/John Knox House.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The sculpture donated to the Scottish Writers’ Museum.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Riddle’s Court sculpture   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Filmhouse   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Lost in a good book…   brookesheree / Atlas Obscura User
Tea, cake, and a book.   brookesheree / Atlas Obscura User
The original Poetree.   brookesheree / Atlas Obscura User
Magnifying glass.   brookesheree / Atlas Obscura User
Close-up of ‘Butterfly Tree’   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
“Butterfly Tree”, Central Library   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
“Jekyll and Hyde”, Writer’s Museum   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A thick tree grows from a book of poems laying on its side, forming an intriguing piece of art. The sculpture is titled "Poetree," and it was the first of 10 sculptures made from the pages of books to be secretly donated to a number of libraries and other cultural places of interest in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"Poetree" mysteriously showed up at the Scottish Poetry Library in 2011 accompanied by a note saying, "in support of books, libraries, words, ideas.” It was gifted as a response to the cutbacks and closures affecting libraries, and was later joined by two other sculptures, one of a cap and gloves and another of a girl reading beneath a tree.

Between March and November 2011, the 10 original book sculptures appeared at cultural institutions throughout the city. An 11th sculpture was gifted to author Ian Rankin. Like the first 10 works of art it, too, was created from old books.

The original book sculptures garnered national and international attention. They even went on a tour around Scotland in 2012, though they soon returned to their Edinburgh homes.

Though more book sculptures have popped up in the years since the originals first appeared, to this day, the sculptor remains anonymous. All that’s known is that the mastermind behind the mysterious works of art is a woman.

Related Tags

Books Sculptures Libraries Art

Know Before You Go

The book sculptures can be found at several different locations throughout Edinburgh. To see the first one, visit the Scottish Poetry Library. The library is free to enter and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Central Library on George IV Bridge also has a collection of them on display in the lobby just inside the entrance to the left.

Community Contributors

Added By

brookesheree

Edited By

SEANETTA, linkogecko, Kerry Wolfe

  • SEANETTA
  • linkogecko
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

November 6, 2018

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Edinburgh Book Sculptures
Scottish Poetry Library
5 Crichton's Close
Edinburgh, Scotland
United Kingdom
55.951424, -3.178083
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