Bristol residents asked to share 'favourite lockdown reads'

A mock-up of the owl sculpture planned for the outside of Fishponds Library in east Bristol

Book lovers are being asked for their "favourite lockdown reads" to include on a public art sculpture.

Bristol Libraries and street art festival Upfest have launched a social media campaign to "spark a conversation about the importance of reading".

Sculptor Tom Habben is creating the artwork - a 12ft (3.65m) owl with inscriptions from books on it - to be installed outside Fishponds Library.

The city council said it was "excited" about the project.

Upfest founder Stephen Hayles said the concept first came up in 2019.

However, they noticed "during lockdown, many people were commenting on how they have a new found love for reading books" and they were keen to "celebrate that and encourage people to keep the habit up".

Deputy mayor Asher Craig said she hoped the project would show "the impact that books have had on people's lives".

Sculptor Tom Habben said he was "looking forward" to starting on the project

Tom Habben, who has created several public sculptures across the city, said he was "looking forward" to the opportunity.

"Books are a resource that in the modern age of social media and 'swipe culture' have become ever-increasingly more difficult to fully engage with, as the fast-paced nature of the internet has a powerful effect on our attention spans," he said.

Readers who want to take part in the project can send a photo of the cover of their chosen book, including their favourite passage via Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #BristolReads, tagging in @upfest and the author.