The National Literacy Trust, with the help from the public art promoter Wild in Art had commissioned fifty benches installed around London to resemble open books, each painted by well known artists to resemble classic novels or childrens’ books. In addition to the benches, which will be auctioned off to some very, very lucky (and probably very, very rich) people in October, the city is also planning some fun-sounding events to go along with them:
Along with the benches themselves, there’s a series of madcap events taking place, such as an attempt to break the world record for the most number of people dressed as Sherlock Holmes, next to the Arthur Conan Doyle-inspired bench outside the University of London. Mary Poppins will be doing a book giveaway at her bench by St Paul’s and the cast of theatre production ‘1984’ will be hanging out by theirs in August. For a meet and greet, that is; not just because they’ve got nowhere better to go.
I can only imagine what would happen if somebody tried to do something like this is America. It would probably end up like the time capsule episode of Parks and Recreation and we’d end up with Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue and Fifty Shades of Grey all over our benches.
Here’s some more of them, but you can see all fifty over at Books About Town.
Sherlock Holmes:
How to Train Your Dragon:
Around the World in Eighty Days:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
Also, here’s a cool making-of video for Always Try to be a Little Kinder Than is Necessary:
(London Time Out via NPR)