With original art created by Los Angeles artist and printmaker Daniel González, paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart, and full scale engineering and fabrication by Goodnight & Co., this ambitious feat of scale and storytelling constructed in the Rotunda of the Richard J. Riordan Central Library is inspired by the Library’s enduring “light of learning.”

As a centerpiece of the building’s centennial celebration, Luceros y Penumbras unfolds across two giant pop-up spreads that evoke memory, culture, and discovery through rich imagery drawn from González’s personal history, the spirit of Los Angeles, and the history of Central Library. Luceros y Penumbras has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest pop-up book ever created! When opened, the book measures approximately 31 feet by 20 feet, with pop-ups rising more than 11 feet tall. Weighing over 1,800 pounds, it is made entirely from the same materials used to produce traditional books, including paper, adhesive, and fabric.

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