The opening ceremony for "The Book Garden,” a solo exhibition featuring sculptures made by artist Chen Long-bin (陳龍斌) from upcycling old books, will kick off on Dec. 10 in San Antonio.
At first glance, the sculptures appear to be stonework, but they were actually created with materials such as telephone directories, books, magazines, and newspapers. The 51-year-old dutifully collects discarded print from universities, publishing companies, and bookstores, calling such paper products his "found” library.
The tomes are then bound together, and knifed, sawed, and sanded down to chiseled perfection. The noticeable grooves and striations from his choice of material add tone and texture to the finished artwork, making his paper installations appear as if they were crafted from more "noble” materials like marble or hardwood.
A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, the Taipei native hopes to promote greater eco-awareness through his art. By upcycling digital age castoffs― such as telephone books and tour books ― he seeks to bring to the table issues such as over-consumption of resources and lust for instant information in the era of connectivity.
The opening ceremony will take place from 6 to 8pm at the Gallery of the San Antonio Central Library. RSVP here.
‘The Book Garden - Long-Bin Chen Book Sculpture Solo Exhibit'
- Date: Nov. 20, 2015 - Feb. 20, 2016
- Venue: San Antonio Central Library Gallery
- Address: 600 Soledad Street, 78205
- Contact: (210) 207-2500
- Site: www.mysapl.org