Unpacking the library

Temporary Art Exhibition at Trinity

Artworks by Nicholas Jones, Leeper Library, 16 August–30 November 2013

Perhaps the catch to this quip lies in what qualifies as a 'good book'. Undoubtedly, the work of Melbourne-based book sculptor Nicholas Jones is not so much about destruction but giving a new lease of life to old books that have long since passed out of favour.

Jones' delicate sculptures produced from old books are a wonder to behold, carefully shaped with a knife or intricately folded into exciting new forms. The muted colours of volumes, dog-warred and well-used, find new life in his studio on the 7th floor of Melbourne well-known arts hub, the Nicholas Building.

Having studied at the Victorian College of Arts in the late 1990s, Jones' work has been exhibited nationally at the State Library of Victoria, Geelong Art Gallery, Perth Institute of Fine Art, Westspace Gallery, Australian Galleries and many other venues. He has most recently completed a 12-month Creative Fellowship at the State Library of Victoria, which also holds several of his works in their collections. Jones has generously lent a selection of his works to Trinity for the present exhibition in the Leeper Library, which will run throughout second semester.

For those interested in a glimpse behind the often mysterious world of artistic creation, the Nicholas Building is hosting Open Studios 2013 this Thursday and Friday, 29–30 August, from 4–9pm. It is a fantastic opportunity to peer behind the scenes of this thriving arts precinct, and visit the Building's various artisans, jewellers, shoemakers, and artists – including Jones.

Visit the Leeper Library to see these wonderful works.