An artwork commissioned by the Malta Book Council to promote its presence at an international book fair has caused consternation on social media.

The digital illustration, created by artist Kristina Zammit Endrich, is part of the book council’s promotional material for its stand at the upcoming London Book Fair, an industry event that brings together authors, agents and publishers.

The drawing, which features people appearing to throw books and papers out of windows, prompted an outraged response from Joseph Mizzi, the managing director of publishing company Midsea Books Ltd.

“Is it possible that we don’t have any better ideas? This is the National Book Council’s branding for the London Book Fair – people ripping up and throwing away books. I can’t believe it! But, on the other hand, it’s authentically Malta, not caring about books. Pathetic,” Mizzi wrote on Facebook.

The full poster.

Several people expressed their agreement with Mizzi in the post’s comments section, including PN economy spokesperson Jerome Caruana Cilia, who wrote that the artwork was “surreal”.

“How embarrassing,” wrote Mark Sagona, the head of the University of Malta’s art history department. One commentator even compared the artwork to Nazi book burnings in the 1930s.

A post on the book council’s website states that the artwork is intended to “embody the spirit of the NBC’s efforts to facilitate literary export, both at the London Book Fair and other initiatives throughout the year, depicting the art of books and the written word flying off to new fertile territories beyond the confines of its original home”.

Speaking to Times of Malta, the book council’s marketing manager, Teodor Reljic said the council did not expect the artwork to generate such backlash.

“It goes without saying but we obviously don’t condone the dumping of books out of windows. The artwork is not something we thought would be a priority for our stakeholders,” he said.

Reljic explained that the illustration would adorn the council’s stand at the fair, which he said would serve to promote Malta and Maltese literature, particularly to publishers in the UK that focus on the Mediterranean region.

The London Book Fair, now in its 50th year, will take place between March 11 and 13 at the Olympia Hotel, in Kensington.