Books, books, and re-structured books
In the book lovers’ world, no book is worth parting ways with; neither the best nor the worst of the reads. And the trending ‘book art’ is just the right way to enhance your experience with the printed word.
15 Feb 2014 | 2250 Views | By PrintWeek India
During today's visit to the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) at IIT Powai, Mumbai, a show titled ‘Structured Books’ and designed by D Udaya Kumar, had on display in the IDC gallery, many a ways to showcase books as an object and media. The Book Art concept, which is trending across the globe, has a simple objective - explorations of both contemporary and traditional artistic practices related to the book as an art object.
The display was grouped under three sections; modifying book pages, book alteration, and recycled books. ‘Modifying book pages’ allows one to assign their own interpretation to the text, while ‘Book Alteration’ explored various forms of redesigning the book; from fanning the pages to carved books. The concept of recycled books lets one explore the ways a book can be imagined; from a stand to a decorative art piece.
The show also had on display books with coptic and Japanese binding. Coptic binding is characterised by one or more section of parchment, papyrus, or paper sewn through their folds, and (if more than one section) attached to each other with chain stitch linkings across the spine. This method was primarily employed by early Christians in Egypt and used from as early as the second century AD to the 11th century.
Interpret or alter or recycle your Shakespeares, Tagores, Tolstoys, Rushdies, Pamuks, Chetan Bhagats and the others, as you like. So, this way or the other, the printed word reigns and will continue to do so in all its forms...