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Future Library project
View on WikipediaThe Future Library project (Norwegian: Framtidsbiblioteket) is a public artwork that aims to collect an original work by a popular writer every year from 2014 to 2114. The works will remain unread and unpublished until 2114. One thousand trees were specially planted for the project in the Nordmarka forest at its inception;[1] the 100 manuscripts will be printed in limited-edition anthologies using paper made from the trees. The Guardian has referred to it as "the world's most secretive library".[2]
History
[edit]The project was conceived by Katie Paterson during the summer of 2014. It is managed by the Future Library Trust and supported by the City of Oslo, Norway. It was produced for the Slow Space public art program and commissioned by Bjørvika Utvikling, the partly publicly owned corporation developing Bjørvika, Oslo's former container port.[3]
The completed manuscripts are held in a specially designed room at the Deichman Library (Oslo Public Library) in Bjørvika, Oslo,;[4][5] Katie Paterson worked with the architectural team to design this part of the library.[6] The 'Silent Room' where the manuscripts are kept is built using 100 layers of undulating, carved wood from the original trees felled to make way for the new trees planted in 2014, each layer with a glass drawer for the manuscript of the corresponding year; the room was first opened to the public in 2022.[7][8] Although the collected works are on display, the manuscripts are not available for reading until the project completes in 2114.
One thousand certificates entitling the holder to the full 100-work anthology when published in 2114 are being sold by the artist's galleries: Ingleby Gallery (Edinburgh), James Cohan Gallery (New York) and Parafin (London). Initially sold for £625, the price increased to £800 in 2017 and subsequently higher.[9][10] The certificates, double-sided and printed on hand-made paper (also made from the original trees felled for the project), depict a cross section of a tree with 100 tree-rings symbolising the time period for the project.
Contributors
[edit]The identity of each contributing author is announced yearly each autumn; they then submit their manuscripts to the collection in early summer the following year at a public 'handover ceremony' in the forest where the trees are growing. Contributors to the collection so far:
- 2014 – Margaret Atwood, Scribbler Moon, submitted 27 May 2015.[11][12]
- 2015 – David Mitchell, From Me Flows What You Call Time, submitted 28 May 2016[13]
- 2016 – Sjón, As My Brow Brushes On The Tunics Of Angels or The Drop Tower, the Roller Coaster, the Whirling Cups and other Instruments of Worship from the Post-Industrial Age, submitted 2 June 2017[14][15]
- 2017 – Elif Shafak, The Last Taboo, submitted 2 June 2018[16][17]
- 2018 – Han Kang, Dear Son, My Beloved, submitted 25 May 2019[2][18]
- 2019 – Karl Ove Knausgård,[19] Blind Book, submitted 12 June 2022
- 2020 – Ocean Vuong,[20] King Philip, submitted 21 May 2023
- 2021 – Tsitsi Dangarembga,[21] Narini and Her Donkey, submitted 12 June 2022
- 2022 – Judith Schalansky, Fluff and Splinters: A Chronicle, submitted 21 May 2023
- 2023 – Valeria Luiselli, The Force of Resonance, submitted 26 May 2024
- 2024 – Tommy Orange,[22] manuscript submission scheduled for 2 June 2025 indefinitely postponed[23]
- 2025 – Amitav Ghosh[24]
The Future Library Trust's committee of trustees make a new selection annually based on the criteria "outstanding contributions to literature or poetry, and for their work's ability to capture the imagination of this and future generations".[25] Umberto Eco and Tomas Tranströmer, both deceased as of 2016, were previously considered as potential contributors. All other authors approached by Paterson are believed to have accepted the invitation.[26]
Critical reception
[edit]The Future Library project has been generally met with interest and intrigue by the media, though it has attracted criticism from some for its emphasis on preventing readership between 2014 and 2114.[27] Writing for Flavorwire, Moze Halperin called the project "art whose intention is to exclude a few generations" and criticized the class exclusivity planned for the works even after they are released.[28]
Notes
[edit]One of the few details known about the books was revealed accidentally when David Mitchell stated that his book quotes the lyrics of "Here Comes the Sun", a song expected to enter the public domain in the late 21st century.[26]
References
[edit]- ^ "'Future Library' Reminds Us How Connected Books And The Environment Really Are". The Huffington Post. 10 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-10-22. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
- ^ a b Flood, Alison (2018-08-31). "Han Kang to bury next book for almost 100 years in Norwegian forest". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
- ^ "Future Library – Framtidsbiblioteket – Katie Paterson". p. About. Archived from the original on 2015-08-01. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
- ^ Thorpe, Vanessa (23 November 2014). "Reader offer: buy a Katie Paterson Future Library limited-edition print". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "In English". Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
- ^ "Creatives in profile – interview with Katie Paterson". nothingintherulebook. 2018-05-23. Archived from the original on 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ Prisco, Jacopo (2018-11-22). "Read Margaret Atwood's new novel... in 100 years". CNN Style. Archived from the original on 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
- ^ Goldsmith, Rosie (2022-06-14). "Future Library opens secret archive of unseen texts in Oslo". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ^ Thorpe, Vanessa (2014-11-23). "Reader offer: buy a Katie Paterson Future Library limited-edition print". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
- ^ "Future Library | Edition | Ingleby Gallery". www.inglebygallery.com. Archived from the original on 2015-08-17. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2014-09-05). "Margaret Atwood's new work will remain unseen for a century". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2018-11-10. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
- ^ Alison Flood, Into the woods: Margaret Atwood reveals her Future Library book, Scribbler Moon Archived 2018-11-16 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 27 May 2015
- ^ Clarke, Patrick (31 May 2016). "David Mitchell buries manuscript for Future Library project". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (14 October 2016). "Icelandic writer Sjón named next Future Library contributor". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ Hovind, Anne Beate. "Join us as Sjón presents his manuscript to Future Library". MailChimp. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2017-10-27). "Elif Shafak joins Future Library, writing piece to be unveiled in 2114". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
- ^ "Future Library Upcoming Events". Archived from the original on 2018-02-21.
- ^ Yonhap (2019-05-27). "Han Kang hands over book to Norway's Future Library project". The Korean Herald. Archived from the original on 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- ^ Flood, Alison (2019-10-20). "Karl Ove Knausgaard's latest work to remain unseen until 2114". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
- ^ "'You'll have to die to get these texts': Ocean Vuong's next manuscript to be unveiled in 2114". the Guardian. 2020-08-19. Archived from the original on 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
- ^ "'Tsitsi Dangarembga's next work won't be read by anyone until 2114". the Guardian. 2021-08-25. Archived from the original on 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ^ Creamer, Ella (August 12, 2024). "Native American author Tommy Orange selected as the next Future Library writer". The Guardian. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ @futurelibraryno; (13 March 2025). "We regret to announce that the June 2nd Handover with Tommy Orange is postponed indefinitely" – via Instagram.
- ^ Creamer, Ella (13 August 2025). "Next manuscript by Amitav Ghosh to be kept sealed for 89 years". The Guardian.
- ^ Mumford, Tracy (29 May 2015). "A library that won't be read for 100 years". www.mprnews.org. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
- ^ a b Wood, Gaby (2017-01-13). "The Future Library: Why you face a big wait to read any of the books". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
- ^ Tiede, Maggie (2018-09-05). "Margaret Atwood, Han Kang, and more will bury their new novels for 100 years. What do you think about the Future Library Project?". Archived from the original on 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
- ^ Halperin, Moze (2016-05-06). "John Malkovich's Silly Cognac-Based '100 Years' Project Raises Important Questions, Even If We'll Never See It". Flavorwire. Archived from the original on 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
External links
[edit]Future Library project
View on GrokipediaProject Concept and Foundations
Artistic Vision and Objectives
The Future Library project, conceived by Scottish artist Katie Paterson and commissioned by Bjørvika Utvikling, functions as a conceptual public artwork spanning 2014 to 2114, wherein 100 authors contribute manuscripts annually that remain unpublished and unread until the centennial revelation, printed on paper derived from a dedicated forest.[1][9] This deferred structure redefines traditional authorship by severing immediate feedback loops, positioning writers' outputs as acts of temporal displacement reliant on institutional stewardship rather than contemporary acclaim or market dynamics.[10] At its core, the project's objectives center on recalibrating human engagement with time, literature, and cultural production by enforcing a century-long sequestration of texts in a preserved "Silent Room" within Oslo's Deichmanske Library, thereby cultivating intergenerational trust in the persistence of knowledge and interpretive faculties.[1][10] Paterson's vision posits this as an exercise in speculative continuity, assuming the endurance of readership, linguistic comprehension, and printing infrastructure into 2114, which underscores a deliberate embrace of empirical uncertainty over assured reception.[9] The artwork intervenes against prevailing patterns of accelerated, ephemeral consumption—prevalent in digital media—by prioritizing the material longevity of analog forms, such as tree-grown paper and sealed manuscripts, to affirm literature's capacity for transcending short-term validation pressures.[9][10] This framework challenges readership norms, transforming passive inheritance into an active pact across generations, where present participants yield interpretive authority to posterity without recourse to previews or adaptations.[1]Core Mechanisms and Timeline
The Future Library project functions through a structured annual cycle commencing in 2014, in which one author annually contributes an original manuscript comprising any literary genre, with the explicit condition that it remains unpublished in any other form until the year 2114.[2] These manuscripts, hand-delivered in physical form, are enshrined in individually crafted wooden boxes and deposited without further access or modification, preserving their integrity across the century.[6] The contributed works are secured in the Silent Room, a purpose-built repository on the top floor of the Deichmanske Bibliotek in Oslo's Bjørvika district, fabricated from timber sourced by clearing space for the project's dedicated forest.[6] This storage protocol enforces a strict no-preview policy, rendering the texts inaccessible to all parties, including the authors themselves, until the designated revelation date.[1] To materialize the anthology, 1,000 Norway spruce trees were planted in 2014 within the Nordmarka forest northwest of Oslo, selected and sown by local foresters to yield sufficient pulp for printing the complete collection exclusively in 2114.[3] Annual handover ceremonies occur in the forest clearing, where the author publicly recites a limited excerpt from the manuscript prior to its sealing, marking the transition from creation to archival commitment without allowance for revisions.[11] The timeline culminates irrevocably in 2114, when the harvested trees supply paper for the unbound anthology's production and release, actualizing the project's deferred publication mechanism.[2]Historical Timeline
Inception and Initial Setup (2014)
The Future Library project originated as a commission from Bjørvika Utvikling, the entity responsible for developing Oslo's Bjørvika district into a cultural hub, to create a public artwork tied to the construction of the new Deichmanske Library. Scottish artist Katie Paterson's concept was chosen for its integration into the Slow Space public art program, which sought enduring installations amid the area's urban transformation from industrial to residential and institutional use.[1][12] In May 2014, Paterson led volunteers in planting 1,000 Norwegian spruce trees in Nordmarka, a forested area northwest of Oslo, designated exclusively to yield pulp for printing the project's anthology in 2114. This act established the biological foundation for the work's material output, with the trees managed under protected conditions to ensure maturity over the century.[1][13] Margaret Atwood was selected as the first contributor, delivering her manuscript Scribbler Moon during the inaugural handover on Midsummer's Eve, initiating the annual deposit protocol.[1][14] The Silent Room's foundational design was conceptualized in 2014 by Paterson and architect Joni Jansen as a secure, glass-enclosed chamber in the Deichmanske Library, equipped with climate controls to safeguard manuscripts while permitting public visibility of their sealed boxes on shelves. This structure formalized the preservation mechanism, prioritizing archival integrity against environmental factors.[1]Early Implementation and Milestones (2015–2020)
The Future Library project's early phase commenced with the handover of Margaret Atwood's manuscript, Scribbler Moon, on May 27, 2015, in the Nordmarka forest, marking the first ceremonial submission following the 2014 tree planting.[15] Subsequent annual handovers included David Mitchell's From Me Flows What You Call Time in May 2016, Yi Mun-yol's contribution in 2017, Sjón's in 2018, Han Kang's in May 2019, and Ocean Vuong's in 2020, with each event involving a procession through the planted grove and a limited public reading of excerpts not exceeding 10 minutes to maintain manuscript secrecy.[1][16] These ceremonies, held in late May or early June, drew progressively larger crowds of participants and observers, reflecting growing public engagement with the project's temporal scope.[17] Logistical protocols solidified during this period, with submitted manuscripts transported from the forest site to the Deichmanske Bibliotek in Oslo for interim storage in a secure, climate-controlled environment prior to the completion of the dedicated Silent Room in the New Deichmanske Library.[13] Each work was sealed unread, accessible only to trustees, ensuring preservation until 2114 while prohibiting reproduction or disclosure.[18] The City of Oslo, through the Future Library Trust, provided ongoing administrative and financial backing, including coordination of forest maintenance and ceremony logistics, as part of its public art commitments under the Slow Space program.[13] Key milestones included routine monitoring of the 1,000 Norway spruce saplings in 2017, which confirmed healthy initial growth in the Nordmarka grove despite early environmental challenges like variable weather, as documented in site visits and project updates.[19] By 2019, heightened media attention—spurred by high-profile handovers such as Han Kang's—underscored the project's institutional stability, with coverage in outlets like The Guardian highlighting procedural consistency and trustee oversight.[16] This era established reliable annual rhythms, with Oslo's municipal agencies facilitating land access and ecological assessments to safeguard the trees' long-term viability for papermaking.[3]Recent Progress (2021–2025)
In August 2021, Tsitsi Dangarembga was selected as the eighth author for the Future Library, committing to submit a new manuscript that would remain unread until 2114.[20] Her handover occurred in spring 2022 amid the project's adaptations to COVID-19 restrictions, which had disrupted prior ceremonies and prompted postponements or alternative formats for the 2020 and 2021 events.[21] In-person gatherings resumed in 2022, incorporating catch-up elements such as readings by Dangarembga alongside earlier contributors like Ocean Vuong.[22] Subsequent years maintained the annual cadence of selections, with Judith Schalansky announced in September 2022 as the ninth author, followed by Valeria Luiselli in November 2023, Tommy Orange in August 2024, and Amitav Ghosh in August 2025 as the twelfth contributor overall.[23][24][25][7] Handovers for Schalansky and Luiselli proceeded in 2023 and 2024, respectively, with Orange's scheduled for 2025 and Ghosh's for mid-2026, preserving the ritual of forest procession and manuscript deposit in the Silent Room.[26][27] By late 2025, eleven manuscripts had been secured under the project's unaltered secrecy protocols, with public outreach sustained via the official website and related events, though no major deviations from the original timeline or mechanisms were reported.[7] The Nordmarka forest, planted in 2014, underwent routine upkeep to support long-term tree growth for the 2114 anthology.[2]Contributors and Selection
Criteria and Process for Author Selection
The selection of authors for the Future Library project is managed annually by the Future Library Trust, an entity established in 2014 comprising seven members primarily drawn from Norwegian and UK publishing circles, along with cultural figures such as Ion Trewin, former administrator of the Booker Prize.[28][9] The committee prioritizes writers recognized for "outstanding contributions to literature or poetry, and for their work's ability to capture the imagination of readers to come," emphasizing global influence and enduring appeal without formal restrictions on genre, nationality, or language.[29][9] The process begins with the committee identifying and inviting a single author each year via a handwritten letter outlining the commitment: contributors must produce an original manuscript of substantial length, submit it unread and unpublished during a ceremonial handover in Oslo's Nordmarka forest, and relinquish all rights to dissemination until 2114, forgoing immediate feedback or royalties.[30] Acceptance rates appear high among invitees, as evidenced by consistent annual additions since inception, though details on declined invitations remain undisclosed. Early selections (2014–2016) exhibited a skew toward English-language authors from Western backgrounds, such as Margaret Atwood and David Mitchell, reflecting the committee's ties to Anglo-centric publishing networks and a focus on "popular writers" with established international readerships.[31] Subsequent choices have broadened to include non-Western voices, including Yi Mun-yol (South Korea, 2017) and Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe, 2019), aligning with stated aims of cultural diversity to represent varied literary traditions.[32] This evolution suggests deliberate efforts to mitigate initial Eurocentrism, though the absence of publicly documented deliberation criteria or rejection rationales limits empirical scrutiny, potentially perpetuating influences from elite, interconnected literary circles and raising concerns of unaccountable curatorial discretion.[33] No formal diversity quotas or open nomination mechanisms exist, underscoring a reliance on committee expertise over transparent, competitive processes.Chronological Roster of Contributors
The contributors to the Future Library project are selected annually by the Future Library Trust, with each providing an unpublished manuscript stored in a sealed chamber at the Deichmanske Library in Oslo until 2114. Manuscripts are typically submitted the year following selection, and full titles and contents remain confidential, though brief excerpts have occasionally been shared publicly during handover events in the Nordic forest planting site. By 2025, twelve authors have been chosen, spanning established and emerging voices from diverse regions, with no recorded withdrawals or disputes over participation.[34] Early selections emphasized prominent international writers, including Margaret Atwood in 2014, whose excerpt "Scribbler Moon" was recited at the 2015 ceremony, evoking themes of temporal displacement. This was followed by David Mitchell in 2015, Sjón in 2016, and Elif Shafak in 2017. Subsequent contributors included Han Kang in 2018 and Karl Ove Knausgård in 2019. The roster continued with Ocean Vuong in 2020, Tsitsi Dangarembga in 2021, Judith Schalansky in 2022, and Valeria Luiselli in 2023. In 2024, Tommy Orange, an Indigenous American author, was selected, and in 2025, Amitav Ghosh, an Indian writer known for climate-themed works, became the twelfth contributor.[34]| Selection Year | Author |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Margaret Atwood |
| 2015 | David Mitchell |
| 2016 | Sjón |
| 2017 | Elif Shafak |
| 2018 | Han Kang |
| 2019 | Karl Ove Knausgård |
| 2020 | Ocean Vuong |
| 2021 | Tsitsi Dangarembga |
| 2022 | Judith Schalansky |
| 2023 | Valeria Luiselli |
| 2024 | Tommy Orange |
| 2025 | Amitav Ghosh |
