A COLLECTION of worm-like sculptures will be unveiled at The Hive - with the sculptures layered in between the books and appearing to 'absorb' the library.

The new contemporary art sculptures are the work of International artists Heather and Ivan Morison, who were ‘in residence’ at The Hive and University of Worcester throughout 2017.

They spent time engaging with students, staff and users, learning about the spaces in The Hive, and have now created the worm-like sculptures to represent the consumption of knowledge and the wealth of information held in The Hive.

Some of the works are made with scagliola - an ancient Italian technique of creating imitation marble - layered in between the books.

The pair said: “The sculptures will seem to have somehow absorbed The Hive as if they have been gobbling, and soaking up the vast knowledge held in the library.

"An antithesis to the clean and quiet aesthetic of the architecture, the pieces will ooze life and evoke feelings of excess, beauty and desire for facts and information.”

The sculptures will be unveiled on Thursday, February 1 with a talk from 5 to 7 pm by the artists at The Hive and an opportunity to discuss the new work with them and the curators from Meadow Arts.

The sculptures have been created as part of a project commissioned by West Midlands based contemporary arts organisation Meadow Arts.

The Hive was the first joint university and public library in Europe, and opened in July 2012 as a partnership between the University of Worcester and Worcestershire County Council.

The artists have used this intersection between academia and civic life to develop their work, meeting with the people who use and work at The Hive, and examining what Worcester residents and students like to read.