Open a new project by Dryden Goodwin for Battle Library, Reading

As Project Director for Artists in the City, Jeni Walwin was responsible for overseeing the appointment of the artist and the management of the project through to completion.

Dryden Goodwin, Open, 2011, installation views

This is a composite portrait of a diverse urban community connected to, working near and living alongside the focal landmark building of Carnegie’s Battle Library in Reading. Goodwin features people at work, at play, with family, at school and at prayer. Like an epic novel, Open presents the lifeblood of an ever-evolving community with its intertwining narratives of endeavour, relationships, desires, spirituality, politics and humour.

The 26 small and intense, framed portraits find a permanent home on the walls alongside the library’s book collection. Films of the portrait drawings can be watched on dedicated iPads in the library or by visiting www.openopen.info. In addition, each drawing has been reproduced to scale as a bookmark that will be given to library users, placed inside the books they borrow, dispersing the drawings back into the surrounding streets and homes.

Commissioned by Artists in the City, Reading Borough Council, with funding from Tesco Stores Limited

Launched: October 2011

Links :
www.artistsinthecity.org.uk
www.drydengoodwin.com
www.openopen.info