Curious about the books that people discuss at The Seattle Public Library?
Ever been to a poetry appreciation group?
How about a story time for children?
Audio producer Larry Stein has created a radio documentary highlighting Library events that deepen the experience of literature and the information available at the Library.
Activities spotlighted include: book discussions and poetry appreciation groups; story times; the 2002 Living Literature series that featured humanities scholars portraying Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott and Langston Hughes; and “Talk Time” ESL conversation classes.
Segments from the documentary will air on KUOW’s “The Beat” at 2:30 p.m. Mondays throughout August, beginning Aug. 4.
Called “Seattle’s Living Room,” the documentary is part of The Peephole Series sponsored by the Library and the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. The Peephole Series is funded by Arts & Cultural Affairs.
Like a peephole in a construction fence, the library-related temporary public art projects are intended to provide the public with insights into the development of the new Central Library and to promote discussion about the place a 21st century library holds in a democratic society. The artwork leads up to the completion of the new library in spring 2004.
The new 362,987-square-foot Central Library was designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in a joint venture with Seattle-based LMN Architects. The building is currently under construction at 1000 Fourth Ave.
Stein attended and recorded events held in library locations in fall 2002 and spring 2003. He condensed and re-presented the recordings into an audio documentary format, which he said creates a sense of intimacy for listeners.
“There seems to be little between you, the listener, and the people you hear performing or sharing their experience or feelings,” he said. “Events I have attended at The Seattle Public Library have offered many intense, personal and compelling moments that can be captured on tape, and shared with a much wider audience.”
In addition to the KUOW broadcasts, the half-hour documentary also will be added to the Library’s CD collection and will be available for check-out this fall.
Stein, a Queen Anne resident, has produced documentary and educational programming on film and radio for 30 years. In Seattle, he has worked with Jack Straw Productions, the Seattle Art Museum, and KUOW/Northwest Public Radio, where he produced local literary programming. Productions included “Writers at Bumbershoot,” “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book: The Sweet Hereafter,” radio plays with Book-It Repertory Theatre, readings at the Richard Hugo House, and “Seattle Solo,” a series of performance works by local theater artists.
Stein’s documentary is the fifth artwork in The Peephole Series.
The first piece – Decimal•Points by Helen Lessick – was unveiled in March. Based on the basic premise of Dewey’s classification system, Decimal•Points features 10 original works of research and visual art. Staff members at the first-floor checkout desk at the Temporary Central Library will distribute the bookmarks the first week of every month through 2003.
The second artwork – The Peephole Theatres by Edie Whitsett – was installed in mid-May on the Fourth Avenue side of the construction site of the new Central Library. The four toy theatres, which are modeled on historic toy theatres from the 19th century, illustrate books in The Seattle Public Library collection. The theatres will be on display through the summer.
The third piece – a sound installation created by sound artist Franklin Joyce in collaboration with computer-based musician Andy Rohrmann – turned a stairwell at the Temporary Central Library into a passageway of animated sounds, dialogue and interviews, during its installation from May 15 through July 3.
The fourth piece – “The Central Library: A Physiological Study” by performance artist Stokley Towles – begins next week at the Temporary Central Library, 800 Pike St. Towles presents his free, humorous talks from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday from Aug. 5-16 in the first-floor Express Internet area.
Also part of The Peephole Series is Jim Woodring, a University District cartoonist, who is developing three, short animated cartoons in which his best known character, Frank, explores books selected from the library’s collection. The cartoons are projected to be completed in August.
The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, the city agency that promotes the value of arts and culture in and of communities throughout Seattle, manages the Library’s public art program. Arts & Cultural Affairs is supported by the 15-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and City Council.
Voters approved the new Central Library in 1998 as part of the $196.4 million “Libraries for All” bond measure. The bond money, which can be used only for construction of libraries, will fund improvements to all 22 branches, build five new branches and build the new Central Library.
For more information about “Libraries for All,” visit the Library’s Web site at www.spl.org.
(For more information, call Caroline Young Ullmann, Library communications assistant, at 206-615-1627, or Karen L. Bystrom, communications director, Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, at 206-684-7306.)
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Content modified: 1 August 2003
12/30/2005
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