A Global Call to Preserve Memory and Meaning

The Burnt Books Project is a large-scale sculptural installation by New York-based German artist, Heide Hatry, intended to transform thousands of burnt and damaged books into a profound, permanent artwork housed in one of the world’s most remarkable museums.

Books hold our stories, histories, and memories. When disaster strikes – fire, flood, storm, quake, war, or other destruction – they are often lost forever. Our goal is to rescue these remnants from all over the world, preserve their traces, and give them a new life as part of an unprecedented immersive installation.