See the World’s Largest Pop-Up Book at the Los Angeles Central Library
Article excerpt
The LA Central Library commissioned the world's largest pop-up book for an exhibit to celebrate its centennial.
The Los Angeles Central Library is celebrating its centennial this year with a record-breaking exhibit: the world’s largest pop-up book.
Named “Luceros y Penumbras” (bright lights and partial shadows), the exhibit was crafted as a “monumental ode to knowledge, discovery, and imagination.”
The book was constructed from paper, adhesive, fabric, and other materials traditionally used to make books.
It weighs over 1,800 pounds and measures a whopping 31 feet by 20 feet when open, surpassing the previous Guinness World Record (which was 29’ x 18’).
The project was commissioned as part of Central 100, a year-long celebration of the centennial taking place all around LA.
Chicano graphic artist and printmaker Daniel González designed the installation with help from paper engineer Matthew Reinhart, with original art inspired by iconic LA imagery, the library’s history, and his own personal experience.
The exhibit is housed in the rotunda of the Richard J. Riordan Central Library, where it will remain on view through November of this year.
Also on display are other items from the library’s Toy Moveable collection, an archive of over 2,000 pop-up books and objects.
The Central Library houses more than 10 million items in its extensive collection, making it the third-largest library in the country. Side note: it has a fascinating history, including an infamous case of arson that would have been front-page news had Chernobyl not happened just days before.
Read more about the exhibit and centennial celebrations.