This Special Edition of Fahrenheit 451 Can Only Be Read When It’s Heated
Read more over on Gizmodo here.
This special edition of Fahrenheit 451 is a conceptual art piece created by the French design collective Super Terrain.
How it Works: The book’s pages are initially completely black, screen-printed with a soot-black layer. When heat is applied (using a lighter, match, or heat gun), the black, heat-sensitive ink disappears to reveal the text underneath.
The “Burning” Effect: As the pages cool, they return to their blackened state, meaning the text is only readable when being actively heated.
Purpose: Developed in collaboration with the Charles Nypels Lab (Netherlands), this edition was designed to symbolize the destruction of knowledge and censorship described in the novel.
Prototype & Release: The prototype was unveiled in October 2017. Following viral attention, the collective created a limited, numbered edition.
This edition is often described as a “book that can only be read by setting it on fire,” mirroring the plot’s requirement that books be burned.
