Comprised of a series of white shelves filled with blank tomes, the library doubles as a system of exchange connecting its physical and virtual visitors and beyond to the College of Fine Arts in Iraq. Aimed at restoring its lost archives, 168:01 positions viewers as potential donors whose contributions fund educational texts from a list compiled by faculty members.
As the installation accrues donations, the white library replaces the blank tomes with books from the faculty wishlist, becoming saturated with knowledge. Select donors receive the blank tomes in return for their contribution. At the end of the exhibition, all donated books are to be shipped to the College of Fine Arts, beginning the process of rebuilding.
Iraq has a long history of such cultural destruction. During the Islamic Golden Age in the 13th century, an invading Mongol army set fire to all the libraries of Baghdad, including the famed House of Wisdom, or Bayt al-Hikma. Legend describes the invaders throwing the Bayt al-Hikma’s entire library into the Tigris River to create a bridge of books for their army to cross. The pages bled ink into the river for seven days, at the end of which the books were drained of knowledge. The first minute after grief becomes the starting point from which 168:01 takes its name—signalling the struggle to move forward and the beginning of a cross-cultural encounter between individuals contributing to a globally distributed effort to rebuild anew.
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VenueFACT
Address88 Wood Street, Liverpool, Merseyside,
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87 Wood Street Apart
Set in Liverpool, 87 Wood Street Apart Hotel is 600 metres from Royal Court Theatre. Liverpool ONE is 700 metres away. Free WiFi is offered .
Signature Living Bold Street
Set in the heart of Liverpool city centre, Signature Living Bold Street features themed rooms and apartments with free Wi-Fi, an LCD flat-screen TV and a DVD player with selection of movies..
Ware Apart Hotel
Ware Apart Hotel offers accommodation in Liverpool. Royal Court Theatre is 600 metres away. Free WiFi is provided .
Oliver House
Situated in Liverpool city centre, Oliver House features free WiFi and a 24/7 help desk. Liverpool Central train station is only a 5-minute walk away. The rooms are fitted with a flat-screen TV, wardrobe and a work desk.
PodZzz@Parr Street
Podzzz offer inventive, futuristic accommodation within Liverpools Parr Street Studios, with its award-winning bar, restaurant, and recording studio. Compact and stylish, each pod features an LED TV..
Parr Street Hotel
This boutique hotel is within Liverpools Parr Street Studios, a mix of creative offices, recording studios, a bar and restaurant. There is free Wi-Fi throughout..
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