Duodecimo

Site-specific artwork presented in the gallery and throughout the library; relating to the architectural design of the exterior and internal fixtures of the library. Forming part of the library collection, a limited edition artist book catalogues over thirteen thousand books from the library.

Made for the Swiss Cottage Library, a sculpture to be read as a book in twelve parts. The title Duodecimo relates to the pre-metric system ascribed to the sizing of books. Presented in the gallery and throughout the library are four reconstructed copies of the original concrete vertical fin louvers, which are attached to the exterior wall of the library. Running vertically traversing the upper two floors, the two hundred and thirty four fins were each designed to represent one page of a book. Designed by the architect Sir Basil Spence in 1965 the library’s fins subtly convey to the public the building’s function. At the time Spence would not allow any other form of external or internal signage.

In 1983 the local history librarian Malcolm Holmes wrote ‘There was nothing outside of the building or near the front door to indicate it was a library and inside the very few signs that did exist were barely noticeable.’ 1

Twelve pieces of library furniture: five plinths, three vitrines, two book trolleys, one writing desk and four cushioned benches are used to display parts of the sculpture. Each of the cast fin sections is formed in order to correspond dimensionally to the domestic furniture. A new scale relationship is forged as the internal architecture now shapes and supports the external. Previously, the outward facing fin symbolised the printed page. In its interior form it becomes representative of read pulped text forming a dense structural matter.

1 Malcolm Holmes (1983) Swiss Cottage – A Library Or A Bibliographic Cathedral For People to Worship? Camden Librarian and Arts Staff Newsletter May/July No .107 P32