“What’s Your Story” sofa made of books visits Belfast City Hall

Local charity Action Mental Health takes their “novel” sofa on tour to Belfast this week.

The full-scale two seater sofa made from books, entitled “What’s your Story”, is an art piece reflecting literary and musical cultures across the generations, with books donated from far and wide. The finished art piece sofa will tour throughout Northern Ireland in the UK City of Culture year and is on public display in Belfast City Hall from 11th – 25th November.

Mickie Harkin, Service Manager of AMH in Foyle who created the piece, explained how the project began back in May with a call for old or discarded books to be donated;

“Our aim was to have a socially and culturally inclusive piece of art which reflects our literary and cultural interests. We undoubtedly achieved this as over 1,500 books have been used. If you average each book having being read at least twice, this along with the many individuals who helped in the creation of the piece, would total several thousand contributors.”

Many notable public figures also contributed to the piece with signed copies of their books, including Sam Burnside, the author of The Cathedral (1989) a long poem that won the Sunday Tribune Hennessy Literary Award for Poetry, Nobel Peace Prize winner, John Hume and BBC Writer in Residence at Queen’s University, Malachi O’Doherty.

Local charity Action Mental Health’s New Horizons service received a grant through the Culture for All funding programme, delivered and funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Big Lottery Fund in partnership with Culture Company 2013.

Mickie Harkin highlighted the benefits of the project to clients and staff alike;

“The benefits of bringing people together in a shared sense of vision was amazing to witness. The conversations, laughter and banter, decision making, undoing and redoing of sections all whilst keeping an eye on the eventual goal of completing the project. We are justifiably proud of our achievement and you never know, if we got an invite for the Turner prize we might just consider fitting it in to the tour itinerary!”