Preview
Description
Artist statement:
As digital media progresses, brick-and-mortar institutions such as libraries are often left by the wayside as lives become busier. Many of us are guilty of the same thing, reaching for quick entertainment or easily-accessible information rather than taking the time to become more deeply knowledgeable. As a homeschooler, libraries made up a massive part of my childhood education, and over time I've watched as my local one becomes less and less popular. I am no less guilty; as I started college, my time trickled away. To reconnect with the experiences I had, and how society views libraries today, I created 'A Library, Rotting.'
Each piece of fruit has a distinct piece of written content divided into pages or sections, a cover or method of binding to secure the pages together, and a different piece of the entire story the sculpture creates. Each individual fruit has its own story to tell, words that may never be read if the viewer dismisses the whole as useless or expired.
By having a form that is far more sculptural, 'A Library, Rotting' discusses how books and archival institutions are viewed, and how their value is deeply ingrained in our society, even as it goes overlooked.
Type
Image
Location
John C. Hitt Library
Department
Special Collections & University Archives
Recommended Citation
Morris, Jessica, "A Library, Rotting" (2025). 19th Annual Student Book Arts Competition. 2.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/bookartsexhibit-19thannual/2