Mystery Edinburgh paper sculptur creates 5 new models

THE mystery artist behind the paper sculptures which were hidden in locations around Edinburgh has created five brand new ones for a national celebration of reading.

The brand-new sculptures - inspired by classic Scottish books - will be hidden in five secret locations around Scotland.

Special clues are to be revealed online between Monday and Friday next week to help literary fans track down the sculptures.

Once discovered, they will be kept in their finding place, while the successful sleuths will get their very own sculpture to keep.

Ten intricate sculptures were originally hidden by the mystery female artist in various locations around Edinburgh between March and November 2011.

The creation of the new sculptures for the Book Week Scotland celebration has been revealed ahead of the originals all going on display together in Edinburgh this weekend.

More than 50,000 people are expected to have seen them on tour around Scotland over the last few months by the time the exhibition, the final phase of which is being held at the Scottish Poetry Library, finishes its run on 8 December.

A spokesman for the Edinburgh Book Sculptures Tour said: “As one story comes to a close a new one is set to begin. Edinburgh’s mystery book sculptor is to make a dramatic comeback during Book Week Scotland, when members of the public will be given the opportunity to hunt down some of her new iconic creations.

“Five special paper sculptures, all inspired by classic Scottish books, have been created by the anonymous artist and hidden in five secret locations throughout Scotland. Treasure hunters across the country can attempt to track down a new sculpture each day by following clues released on the Scottish Book Trust’s website next week.”

The National Museum of Scotland, the Writer’s Museum, the Scottish Storytelling Centre and the Scottish Poetry Library were among the locations where the sculptures turned up.

Robyn Marsack, director of the poetry library, said: “We are thrilled to reunite them under our roof for a while, back where the first one was discovered, and to see the support for books, libraries, words and ideas take such a beautiful and such a visible form.”

Venu Dhupa, director of creative development at Creative scotland, said: “We’re excited to be able to support this distinctive and big-hearted project, an exhibition tour which celebrates not only the vital role of our local libraries and arts institutions, but the creativity and generosity of the anonymous sculptor.”

Marc Lambert, chief executive of the Scottish Book Trust, which is organising Book Week Scotland, said: “It’s an ideal time to celebrate these unique pieces of art, inspired as they are by a love of books, reading, and libraries.

“We are delighted that the artist has agreed to come out of retirement, if not hiding, to give booklovers across Scotland a chance to own one of these amazing homages to literature.”