On Saturday 7th December 2013 Book Hive was born, a giant living sculpture of books filling the Central Library’s majestic Grade One listed entrance hall. The date marks the 400th anniversary of Bristol merchant Robert Redwood handing over the keys to his Kings Street lodge to become the first public library in Bristol – and only the third in the whole country. Just as the first library gradually grew, finally opening its doors in 1615, so too Book Hive will grow over two months, eventually featuring 400 books, one for each year of library history.

Created by Bristol based robotics artists Rusty Squid, supported by a Grant for the Arts from Arts Council England, Book Hive is a vivid response to the impact digitalism has had on the life and work of libraries, featuring animatronic books that respond to the movements of visitors to the library, opening and closing in breathtaking patterns. 

Rusty Squid are artists, engineers, roboticists, puppeteers and designers who come together to make thought provoking art that taps in to the power of human emotion. The Book Hive designers will be talking about the background and conception of the project, the technology and techniques they used, and exploring techno-human relationships in unique spaces. Following the talk, Rusty Squid will lead a short expedition up to Bristol Central Library to witness the piece in action.

This Lunchtime Talk is part of Open Studio Friday, which takes place at the Studio every week.

Do you want to find out what is going on at the Pervasive Media Studio? Are you interested in meeting our residents, talking about a specific project or curious about pervasive media? Why not pack a sandwich and join us for one of our Lunchtime Talks and Open Studio Friday.

Lunchtime Talks are informal presentations by Studio residents and associates. They normally take place at 1pm on Friday, are free and open to everybody who’s interested in what we do.

After the Talk, we also invite you to stay with us for the afternoon to continue the conversation or work on your own projects. We provide chairs, tables, wireless and a great space. You bring what you need to work with (laptop/mobile). Our open afternoons close at 5pm.
Let us know if you’d like a tour of the space and we'll be happy to show you around. Send an email to admin@pmstudio.co.uk