i learned about this project in one of my classes during the fall semester of last year, and not only do i think the outcomes are really beautiful, but i think that what the project stood for is really important and inspiring.
in 2001, the staff at the San Francisco Public Library started finding books shoved under shelves. all of the books related to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, women's issues, HIV/AIDS, and in some cases even authors whose last name was "Gay". all of the hidden books were torn and sliced, amounting to over 600 books damaged beyond repair. (the vandal was eventually caught, arrested, charged and found guilty of a hate crime)
rather than throw the destroyed books away, in response to this hateful act, the library called upon artists and interested individuals (spanning from the direct area to as far away as Japan and France) to give the books a new life as works of art, and markers of the way this sort of fear, hate, and intolerance will not be ignored. the project was named Reversing Vandalism, and the books went on display for three months in 2004 (all remain visible online). it was the largest exhibition ever taken on by the library.
the pieces range from simple book alterations and repairs to entirely transformed pieces (bowls, a working clock, a bottle of page-stuffed pills), but they are all entirely unique.
in a time where people continue to be treated unequally, i believe that using art as a medium to fight is extremely important, as well as effective. so please take the time to look at these pieces and the battle they represent.
it was nearly impossible to decide which ones to show here, because they are all so different and meaningful, but i did my best to pick a few. you can see the full gallery as well as a description of the show on the San Francisco Public Library's website page for the exhibition.
images: http://sfpl.lib.ca.us
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