Bristol artist creates giant concertina book

A 5m (16ft) long hand-illustrated concertina book has been created by a Bristol artist.

Tim Lane spent two years creating Anima Mundi using graphite on paper and describes it as a "linear narrative or a visual poem".

Mr Lane said it was designed so that folding and combining the different interlinking pages of art creates different stories.

The aim was for it to be held and be "meditative", he said.

Each reader is encouraged to create their own journey through the book by folding and combining the different interlinking pages of art.

"There isn't a set narrative where you read along. It's like you can discover things in your own sub consciousness," he said.

Anima Mundi explores the bonds between the plant and animal worlds and the links between them.

"I didn't start thinking of it like that," said Mr Lane. "I just started drawing it in an organic and schematic way where things link up - like the head and the heart at different parts in the body, they link up with emotions and intellect.

"I love monochrome - it's a more visceral way of expression."

He works with paper and graphite and said: "It's also more practical when you are drawing these sort of books as you can rub it out and link it up again differently."

The Cheltenham-born artist believes that even in this age of digital books and tablets people still covet a hand-crafted book.

"It's a meditative thing that you need to hold in a tactile way. Folding and turning it makes the journey personal", he said.

Mr Lane said Anima Mundi was originally never meant to be published.

"I wasn't going to put it out there really - it was nice to have this cathartic thing in the background of my life.

"I so enjoyed having this little personal journal - it became symbolic representing things that were happening in my life."

An exhibition of the illustrations is being held from 4 to 27 July in Bristol.