A Legacy Sealed for 88 Years
Laurie Anderson has officially become the 13th contributor to the Future Library project in Oslo. The artist and performer submitted a manuscript this week that will remain sealed in a purpose-built chamber until the year 2114. This project, initiated by artist Katie Paterson, secures original works from prominent authors and artists, ensuring their creation remains hidden for nearly a century. When the archive opens in 2114, the collection will be printed using paper produced from 1,000 spruce trees planted specifically for this endeavor in the Nordmarka forest.
Anderson’s contribution is an addition to an archive that already includes work by Margaret Atwood, Han Kang, and Ocean Vuong. The contents of these submissions remain unknown to the public. Paterson notes that Anderson’s work could manifest as a text, a musical score, or a format yet to be defined. The specific storage site is a silent room within the Deichman Bjørvika building, a facility designed to protect the integrity of the materials through the next century.
The Roots of Artistic Inspiration
Anderson cites her childhood and her mother’s influence as central to her appreciation for libraries and natural landscapes. She grew up near a park filled with oak and elm trees, where her mother encouraged a connection to the environment. This upbringing instilled a deep respect for stories and the longevity of physical objects. She considers the Future Library a natural extension of those early experiences in the woods and the quiet of her local library.
Her mother, described by Anderson as a brilliant woman who balanced the demands of raising eight children, often turned the act of reading into an experience of discovery. By hiding treats in a large red oak tree, she taught Anderson to associate literature and nature with mystery and reward. This personal history informs her desire to write something regarding love for the future readers of 2114. She intends for her submission to carry a clear, audible voice that survives the passage of time.
A Project Spanning Generations
Paterson describes the selection of Anderson as a recognition of her ability to speak across decades. Anderson’s career includes work in theater, experimental music, and technology, along with a 2024 Grammy lifetime achievement award. Her creative output moves between the intimate details of personal life and broad, planetary concerns. This approach aligns with the goals of the Future Library, which seeks to archive perspectives on human existence for people living in the next century.
The City of Oslo formalized an agreement in 2022 to guarantee that the Nordmarka forest remains under the stewardship of the Future Library Trust. This legal safeguard ensures the physical source material for the eventual printing of the anthology is protected. As Anderson becomes the latest contributor, she joins a roster that represents a diverse range of global literary and artistic voices. The project continues to grow annually, adding one new manuscript at a time while the forest matures toward the date of the final harvest.