10,000 Glowing Books Spill Into Streets of Melbourne in Luzinterruptus’ LED Installation

Over <b>10,000 books</b> thrown out by public libraries were recently given new life in a beautiful new lighting installation by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/luzinterruptus/">Inhabitat favorites</a> <a href="http://www.luzinterruptus.com/" target="_blank">Luzinterruptus</a>. Called “Literature Versus Traffic”, the installation spilled out into the streets of Melbourne during the <a href="http://www.fedsquare.com/events/the-light-in-winter/program" target="_blank">Light in Winter</a> festival, fusing discarded books with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/enormous-anglerfish-on-wheels-storm-sydneys-vivid-light-festival-in-australia/" target="_blank">glowing LED lights</a>. The river of glowing books invited passersby to leaf through the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/yun-woo-choi-makes-extraordinary-3-d-sculptures-out-of-recycled-magazines/" target="_blank">volumes</a> that had been forsaken for the dump and take them home.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/luzinterruptus-recycled-plastiksack-installation-guards-the-gewerbemuseum-in-switzerland/" target="_blank">Spanish collective</a> took over Melbourne's stark Federation Square, converting it into a warm and welcoming space with thousands of glowing books.

The books, which were actual rejects from multiple libraries, were donated to Luzinterruptus by the Salvation Army for the project.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/amazeme-book-labyrinth-completed-for-the-london-2012-cultural-olympiad/" target="_blank">river of books</a> spilled over the occupied pedestrian areas and seeped into the street, depriving cars and buses of their allocated spaces, giving the books one last surge of power before their impending descent into thrift stores or the recycling bin.

Visitors weren't angry at the interruption in traffic - instead they reacted with intrigue and genuine interest.

Dozens of passersby took a break in their commuting to sit and thumb through the books, reading bits here and there under the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/luzinterruptus-luminous-recycled-bottles-cascade-from-dismantled-drinking-fountains-in-madrid/" target="_blank">LED displays</a> in the plaza.

To end the magical installation, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/luzinterruptus-create-illuminated-swimming-pool-sculpture-from-recycled-containers/" target="_blank">Luzinterruptus</a> let visitors take their time and choose books right from the installation, taking home their favorite volumes to read and to remember the provocative and powerful piece that took over Flinders Street.

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