The iconic Art Deco architecture of Los Angeles’ Richard J. Riordan Central Library houses more than 10 million items, making it the third largest library in the country. The institution also celebrates its centennial this year. So, what better way to ring in a new century of reading and learning than with the largest pop-up book ever created?
Commissioned by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library, L.A.-based artist and printmaker Daniel González conceived of a monumental ode to knowledge, discovery, and imagination. “Luceros y Penumbres” also nods to the building’s history, taking pride of place in the elegant rotunda surrounded by Dean Cornwell’s murals, which depict California history and were completed in 1933.
With an assist from paper engineer Matthew Reinhart, the project even surpassed the previous Guinness World Record for largest pop-up book by spanning approximately 31 by 20 feet when open (the previous record-holder’s dimensions were about 29 by 18 feet). The design rises to more than 11 feet tall, and overall, it weighs nearly a ton. It’s also made from materials customarily used to produce standard books, like fabric, paper, and adhesive.
González draws on his own memories and associations with Los Angeles and the library’s role as a beacon, the “light of learning.” One of the spreads is centered around a large tree with the city skyline in the background and motifs that represent its diverse cultures, ecology, and traditions. The second depicts the facade of the L.A. Central Library along with the bilingual inclusion of the phrase, “Each person is a library.”
“Luceros y Penumbres” is on view alongside gems from the library’s Toy Moveable Collection—an archive that consists of more than 2,000 pop-up books and objects—until November 2026.
