Banksy of the Book Art World

Book art piece found at the National Library of Scotland

Is there a Banksy-style book artist roaming the streets of Scotland?

Last month, the book art piece above was found at the National Library of Scotland. It was the fourth piece found since March in a book-friendly location in Scotland. All references are devised from the work of Scottish mystery writer Ian Rankin and include a note professing some book love.

First it was the Scottish Poetry Library where a ‘poetree’ was discovered on a bookshelf. The ‘poetree,’ comprised of intricately cut pages, had a note attached referencing a Patrick Geddes quote and the library’s Twitter name, @byleaveswelive.

Next up was a piece left at in the box office of Filmhouse Cinema with the following note ““For @filmhouse – a gift – In support of Libraries, Books, Words, Ideas…&; All things *magic*.”

and then one was found in the Robert Louis Stevenson room at the Scottish Storytelling Centre with this note:

“Once upon a time there was a book, and in the book was a nest, and in the nest was an egg, and in the egg was a dragon, and in the dragon was a story.”

A short list of possible culptrits has emerged though it is hard to believe anyone would want to put an end to such beauty. And beside, I trust that with the current phone-hacking scandal Scotland Yard has their hands full.

Perhaps when all is said and done the pieces can be auctioned off to benefit the places they were left in!

Audio describing the “poetree” left at Scottish Poetry Library:

Peggy Hughes and Lilias Fraser describe the gift left to the Scottish Poetry Library (mp3)

More:
Mystery ‘poetree’ is a symbol of library love – guardian edinburgh March, 2011
Real-life Ian Rankin mystery of ‘reverse heist’ sculptures – guardian June, 2011
Book sculpture mystery baffles Rankin – Deadline June, 2011

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