George Orwell Library On Jura: Artist Campaigns For Exhibition Home
Artist, Hans K Clausen, plans to establish a library on Jura solely dedicated to the works of famous author George Orwell.
Between 1946 and 1948, George Orwell stayed on the isle of Jura where he wrote his ninth and final novel, the dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Islanders knew the author by his real name, Eric Blair, who left the island shortly after finishing the book due to a serious case of tuberculosis, which later killed him.
Jura is on every Orwell super fan’s bucket list, and an entire library dedicated to the author would create the perfect hub for writers and artists studying the legacy of his work.
Earlier this year, Hans K Clausen hosted an exhibition to mark the 75th anniversary of Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Hans K Clausen hosted an exhibition on Jura for the 75th anniversary of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty Four. Credit: The Winston Smith Library.
He collected 1,984 copies of the novel, complete with personal notes and annotations from their previous owners, and put them on display. This display included copies in Hebrew and Arabic on a shelf side by side, and copies from Russia and Ukraine next to each other.
The artist now hopes to give the collection a permanent home on Jura called ‘The Winston Smith Library of Victory and Truth’ – in the name of the book’s main character.
The passion project has the backing of the Orwell Foundation as it supports their mission of promoting his work. Discussions are already underway regarding the library’s new home.
George Orwell wrote his final novel, Nineteen Eighty four, in Barnhill House on Jura. Credit: Shutterstock.
Visitors exploring Jura’s Orwellian links, usually embark on a 25-mile drive followed by a long, tricky trek up to Barnhill house, where George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. The project is considering this location as a permanent home because the library would give the pilgrimage a sense of purpose.
The collection is currently still on tour. You will have a chance to browse the books at the National Galleries in Edinburgh in late November. There are also plans to visit other places relevant to Orwell, such as Wigan, London and Paris.
Exhibition-goers will be invited to pick up, read and even leave their own note on the books, giving the collection an even more worldly feel.
