The Kenton County Public Library is bringing classic stories to life with its new book bench project. With support from the city of Covington, the library selected six local artists to create works of art on fiberglass benches in the style of their favorite books.
Each artist was given two months to create their installations that will soon hit the streets of Covington in May. The six benches will include artwork from favorites like The Very Hunger Caterpillar, A Snowy Day, Charlotte's Web, The Poisonwood Bible, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
The 180-pound benches will make their way into public spaces around town like schools and libraries. Robin Klaene from the Kenton County Public Library says she wants the benches to grab people's attention and get them talking about their favorite books.
RELATED: Book-to-screen adaptations our critic can't wait to see in 2023
"We want to remind people that the library is full of stories and is for everyone," Klaene said. "What better way to do that than do a community art installation?"
All six of the new benches will be revealed at the library's Covington branch on Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.. The artists who worked on each bench will be there to present their pieces and share the stories behind them before they move to their locations throughout the city. The event is free and open to the public.
For now, the benches will be temporary installations, but Klaene says she'd like to see them stick around for at least a year. If they're well received, she says it's possible the project could continue and expand.
RELATED: Book challenges increase in Ohio, across U.S. as groups seek to ban multiple titles
"We would love to see these benches stay out as long possible and I'd like to look at possibly doing another program like this so benches could go beyond the city of Covington," Klaene said.
More information about each bench can be found on the Kenton County Public Library's website.
