Book stacks - ephemeral assemblages

As planned I managed to get time to complete the book stacks. These stacks will most likely become part of the Lucas Parklands forest walk exhibition.

Though I call them book stacks it is not just a matter of stacking a heap of books together.



As you can see from the photo above each stack has its own water-rot resistant ply base and top; and a continuous metal thread through the centre. I attempted a few stacks about 12 months ago and found that to get the rigidity I wanted it was necessary to compress the book in lots of 5-7 using the top piece of timber, a large square washer and a nut to pull it all together. And to stop the books swivelling I glue them together as I go. The stacks below are strong and are freestanding units.



The three assembled stacks form one ephemeral sculptural piece I have called " Quiet Transition".



The idea is the stacks will stay out in the open and be subjected to the vagaries of the weather; and over time, maybe 2-5 years, will quietly breakdown and once again become part of the forest floor.