On Saturday I flew to Melbourne for an event and brought along my latest book find to occupy the minutes while I was in transit. Just as the plane levelled out, the man sitting next to me interrupted my reading to ask the title of the book. I showed him the cover and he typed it into his phone.
How To Be An Explorer Of the World : Portable Art Life Museum by Canadian conceptual artist Keri Smith is a book that quickly evokes interest from even the most disengaged child or adult. It has a way of capturing your imagination and prompting you to explore what is directly surrounding you. Seriously, no matter where you are you have the opportunity to explore and document hundreds of things in your space.
So how does Keri Smith get her ideas? When you start reading the book you learn that it all started with a list that she wrote when she couldn’t sleep that detailed the accumulative learning she had collected from various teachers and artists over the years. This reminded me a little of how the Kid Bucket List evolved. I like lists! What the list taught Keri was that both scientists and artists anaylse the world around them in similar ways. More thinking and she sprouted the idea of the Portable Life Museum.
If you decide to be this book you should understand that you can’t be a passive reader. To fully enjoy each page you will need to do things. You will need to explore. You will need to collect. The book requires active participation. It’s perfect for kids. It’s perfect for a family. It provides endless activities that you can do together both outside and inside.
How To Be An Explorer Of the World : Portable Art Life Museum is currently available at Book Depository for $18.27. If you do purchase it, let us know what you think when it arrives.
What a gorgeous book! I’ll be looking it for in our local bookshop immediately. 🙂
Please do! It’s a fantastic book which will keep you and your family happily busy for a long time