Ruth Beale's Library as Memorial at Brent Biennial honors 491 COVID-19 victims with dedicated books

Ruth Beale, an artist based in London, repurposed her Brent Biennial project into a tribute for those lost during the pandemic following the onset of lockdowns. Titled Library as Memorial, her installation comprises 491 books sourced from Brent libraries, inviting the community to honor COVID-19 victims. This initiative highlights Brent's significant death rate, particularly affecting BIPOC populations. Beale captured footage of shuttered libraries and engaged with members of the Brent Youth Parliament through Zoom. Together with library staff, she curated a selection of books, including works on South Asian culture and Black history. The exhibit will be displayed at Kilburn Library for three months. Beale also critiques austerity-driven library funding cuts and societal attitudes toward essential workers and migration, and she co-wrote a radio play with inmates at HMP Lincoln.