Paper Geodome Installation 2015
Amanda Burton
Lead Artist and Designer/ Project Manager
Genera Project with Inkwell Arts 2015
Housed in Leeds Central Library are several collections of antiquarian books and special interest materials that form part of the Library’s Special Collections. One of the most significant is the Gott Bequest which is a collection of around 500 books acquired by the library in 1941 on the death of Beryl Gott.
Beryl Gott was a notable figure in her day and much of her time was spent working for positive social change in the city. One of her passions was gardening and in her lifetime she collected numerous early English gardening books and periodicals including works published in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
The books contain many fine examples of hand coloured botanical illustrations that sit between sheets of delicate tissue paper that protect these exquisite prints. The books remain in near pristine condition for their age, nurtured to preserve the vibrant colourful inks and dyes used in them, hence viewing the collection is only available through appointment.
The Genera Project was a response to this collection which is a testament to the hunger for codifying and cataloguing the incredible amount of botanical riches that were being discovered at this time. Plants play an essential role in the environment and in meeting human needs: from food to shelter, cloth to oxygen, medicines to fuel, and we continue to discover new plant species and develop our own varieties through selective breeding.
Thank you to Leeds Inspired, Leeds Central Library, East Street Arts, Leeds City Council and all the Inkwell Arts artists and volunteers involved for their fantastic support.
