San Francisco’s American Bookbinders Museum is set to unveil a striking new public art installation celebrating First Amendment rights, specifically freedom of speech and the press. The installation, named “The Banned Books Jail,” will be officially revealed on April 23, coinciding with World Book Day.
Designed by Robert Bernstein of neverbeforedesign, this innovative piece takes the form of a large metal gate, reminiscent of prison bars, that symbolically “jails” books previously banned in the United States. These books have faced bans for various reasons, including issues related to race, feminism, religion, LGBTQIA+ themes, and other content deemed “un-American.” Despite its form, the gate visually portrays books escaping their confinement, echoing a sentiment expressed by Virginia Woolf: “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”
Bernstein emphasizes the piece’s message, stating, “Banning books to close minds is the tool of despots. Fear of ideas is a necessary condition for citizens to accept infringements on their liberties. Books, banned now or previously in the history of our Nation, are breaking free.”
The museum’s exterior on Folsom Street will host the installation, making it visible to passersby at all hours. To celebrate, the museum will hold an event at 12:30 pm on the day of the unveiling, featuring Bernstein and other notable speakers.
The American Bookbinders Museum, unique in North America, is dedicated to preserving the history and craft of bookbinding from the colonial period to the early 20th century. It offers a special archive of bookbinding literature and artifacts, available for public access.
For more information, visit the American Bookbinders Museum website or follow them on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
