Artist, writer and educator Måns Wrange along with architect and designer Igor Isaksson are the Stockholm based duo behind Bibliotheca Non Grata which has been commissioned by the city of Umeå in Sweden, in memory of journalist, activist and author, Stieg Larsson’s work. Bibliotheca Non Grata is a public art project in the form of an imaginary library of rejected and thus non-existent books from across the world.
The library as an institution has played a crucial role in defining what is to be considered as knowledge, culture and identity in our society. Countless rejected works throughout history may have been thought of as unsuitable for the literary market, too radical for the thinking of the time or too provocative. What stories and ideas never saw the light of day?
The final commissioned work will be placed in Umeå city library in the newly constructed cultural centre Väven (”The Weave”) designed by the internationally acclaimed architect’s offices Snøhetta and White. The artwork will be placed right at the entrance to the library, hidden behind frosted glass. When visitors approach Bibliotheca Non Grata, the glass section transitions from frosted to clear, so that the hardbound ‘rejected’ books in various languages are revealed.
Wrange and Isaksson are inviting contributions to Bibliotheca Non Grata from established and emerging authors. You can submit your own unpublished work which has been rejected by a publishing house or an institution. A selection of submitted titles of rejected manuscripts will be printed on the spines of 365 hardbound empty book covers — one for each day of the year.
To submit your entry or find out more information about Bibliotheca Non Grata, visit their website here.
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