About This Piece

Time is a Friend of the Future, Not an Enemy of the Past is a large functional clock created from a vintage encyclopedia set. Each piece has a silhouette profile cut from the cover with layers of exposed pages building the scene. The profiles are of people of various ages, genders and ethnicities. Some are library staff, others are from the community in the Santa Fe Art District, selected by the artist.

“Libraries are the keepers of time – they preserve the past, engage us in the present and keep us moving towards the future. Libraries are filled with stories – the written words one finds on the page as well as the memories created from those that found solace within the libraries itself. People of all ages, genders, religions as well as ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds can find safety within the library’s stacks. People can escape the weight of the world and find the tools to create a better tomorrow.” – Artist Valerie Savarie