Building of Spines (GIFT Festival)

Over a week in Gateshead Central Library, Quarantine artist Kate Daley hand makes a book containing a work of collective fiction.

The book’s narrative is shaped by answers people in the library give to a set of questions.

Every morning and afternoon the questions change, moving through the classifications of the Dewey Decimal system – from 900: History and Geography, to 000: Computer Science, Information and General Works.

Individual accounts are written into a work of collective fiction.

On the last day, the finished book is handed over to the library to be processed, categorised and entered into their collection.

The finished book then enters the library’s collection for future readers.

A beautiful object, carefully made, the book is an alternative portrait of the library, the people who use it and the knowledge it holds.

Building of spines is a project by Manchester-based ensemble Quarantine, known around the world for their forensic interest in daily life.