Artist Pam Ward used discarded MI books to create The Bards Branch, a whimsical sculpture that was a 2019 Black Rock City Honoraria Recipient.
Here is what the artist shared with us about this lovely sculpture:
“It was a huge success and loved by all book lovers and participants. We met so many cool people who told us stories of their favorite books. What I loved was hearing people reading through the gramophone from the armchair to the ground. Father reading to his child the little prince. Friends reading spiritual teaching to their friends. A group of 100 wizards and gamers rocking up on a treasure hunt (organizers read all the titles the day before and made a clue with the book titles, then hid three the clues in the tree!). Many families and children were always at the piece, which warmed my heart. Beautiful violin players. So many things!
On Friday, we gifted the books to people and donated books to the Black Rock Library. Then the piece was lifted to The Folly to be transformed by fire. It was epic.
Thank you to your team -- it could not have happened without your support and passion for books and imagination. You are official a part of The Bards Branch crew!”
(Photos used with artist’s permission. Credits: Photographer Jane Hu; Artist Pam Ward.)
