The Book Collector is taking a break from Podcasts and Newsletters this August, and during this time we thought we would keep the minds of our readers and followers busy with a little challenge…
Recently a portrait of EM Forster set an Auction record for painter Roger Fry (1866-1934) when it sold for £260,000 at Bonhams in London on 1st July.
So, in honour of Messrs Forster and Fry, we would like you to…
1. Recreate a portrait of your favourite author
2. Using only yourself and objects from your own home
3. Take a photo and send us the image.
Send images to sarah@thebookcollector.co.uk or share them with us on Instagram - @thebookcollectoruk. Tag your social media posts with #anauthorrecreationchallenge if you like.
We will share a highlight of submissions in a Feature article in September.
We have been inspired by libraries and museums around the world (specifically the New York Public Library and J Paul Getty Museum) who, during the peak of the Coronavirus lockdown, issued challenges via Social Media asking people to recreate famous book covers and works of art using objects (and people) in their homes. The result was a social media sensation and the internet is now flooded with creative and witty images of people’s DIY interpretations.
The book cover challenges in particular have seen a lot children’s books recreated by enthusiastic young readers who were missing their local libraries during the Covid-19 Lockdown.
Getty Publications said the entries they received were … “Astonishing in their creativity, wit, and ingenuity… these creations remind us of the power of art to unite us and bring joy during troubled times.”
A selection of highlights from the Getty Museum’s challenge have even been used to create a new book: Off the Walls: Inspired Recreations of Iconic Artworks. The 144 page illustrated volume will be available in paperback from September 2020 for $14.00, featuring 405 colour illustrations. Getty Publications will be donating all profits from the sale of the book to Artist Relief, an emergency initiative offering resources to artists across the United States.
It's believed that the first of these ‘recreation’ challenges was set by the Instagram account @tussenkinstenquarantaine from The Netherlands, whose account now features over 700 very impressive and quite beautifully recreated artworks, shown side-by-side with their originals. Tussen Kunst & Quarantine were nominated for a Best Social Award in the ‘Stay-at-Home Content’ category for their amazing efforts.
So, polish your camera lens, get into character and strike a pose. We can’t wait to see your submissions! If you need some inspiration take a look below at some attempts from The Book Collector team!
Happy Holidays.