"Fires of Ignorance" by artist Liz Hager. Referenced work: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling. Medium: Mixed media installation in plexiglass box.

Artist statement: “The Fires of Ignorance” was inspired by the fourth Harry Potter book—Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I imagined it was copies of this book that were burned by the small evangelical group in Pittsburgh in March, 2001, the first of many such incidents involving evangelicals and this series of books. All groups initiating the burnings have cited witchcraft as their reason, and they also admitted to never having read the books. In this case, the bonfires have not dampened sales; to date, 400 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide. “The Fires of Ignorance” installation plays with an alternate meaning of the word “recover” as a way to focus attention on the fragility of cultural legacy as represented by books; the need for constant vigilance in the face of ongoing challenges to books; and the ultimate triumph of books under threat.

All Rights Reserved - California Exhibition Resources Alliance

Done