Aimée Henny Brown

Portable Lighthouse Library
— 2014

Historically, a lighthouse keeper’s library was one item shared across many lighthouses, and between many keepers and their families. It was stocked with books relevant and popular during the era, and when provisions were delivered to keepers’ outposts, often the portable library would be exchanged. In response to the theme of Portage for New Canadian Pilgrimages #4, I constructed and stocked a modified portable lighthouse library.

The library was carried during daily Portage walks across the island, stopping at each Pictou Island lighthouse station that once existed or currently stands. These island-long walks both traced the placement of lighthouses and imitated the communication of light signals across Pictou Island.

The library contents were three handmade artist books and 6, 8-page zines (edition of 25 each) featuring content made in response to archival research about the island’s lighthouses. Zines were given away to the public free of cost.

Research + Development

Nestled in the Northumberland Straight, Pictou Island was once a hub of lighthouse activity. Prominent in East Coast topographies, most active lighthouses have been decommissioned, and now sit as skeletons of past waterways activities. With the portable library, I activated and explored the historical role of the lighthouse keeper on Pictou Island, through the Pictou Island Portage residency.

Three lighthouse structures once existed on the Island, one at the far west end, one at the south wharf, and one at the far east end – now only the south wharf structure remains. These structures were maintained by one keeper on the island, and due to the isolation of this post, several ‘keeper’s tools’ were created to support the keeper’s day-to-day activities. Pictured below, the lighthouse keeper’s library was one item shared across many lighthouses, and between many keepers and their families. It was stocked with books relevant and popular during the era, and when provisions were delivered to keepers’ outposts, often the portable library would be exchanged.