When Books Become Art: Exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram Reimagines the Idea of Reading

An ongoing exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram is challenging the way people usually think about books. Titled “Unshelving Memories,” the show presents books not just as sources of text but as creative objects that combine sculpture, storytelling, and personal reflection.

Held at the College of Fine Arts in the city, the exhibition introduces visitors to the concept of artists’ books, a form of contemporary art where the book itself becomes the artwork. Instead of traditional printed pages and bindings, the pieces use a variety of unconventional materials and experimental designs.

Turning Books Into Sculptural Art

Curated by artist and academic Shijo Jacob, the exhibition features works that move far beyond the conventional idea of a book. Pages may be made from cloth, metal, or mixed materials, while the structure of the book sometimes resembles a sculptural object rather than a bound volume.

The goal is to encourage viewers to see books as physical art forms rather than purely literary objects. According to the curator, this medium remains relatively unexplored in India, and the exhibition aims to introduce audiences and young artists to the creative possibilities of book art.

An Interactive Experience for Visitors

Unlike most gallery displays where visitors are asked not to touch the artworks, this exhibition invites people to interact with them. Viewers can flip through pages, hold the books, and explore their textures and structures.

This interactive approach allows audiences to engage with art in a tactile way, transforming the act of reading into a physical and visual experience rather than just a textual one.

Personal Stories Told Through Materials

Many of the artworks draw from deeply personal experiences. For example, one piece by a transgender artist uses metal as the main material to symbolise strength and resilience during the artist’s gender transition journey.

Such works demonstrate how the materials used in these book-like structures become metaphors for memory, identity, and lived experience, turning each piece into both a narrative and an artwork.

A Platform for Experimental Art

The exhibition brings together artists from different parts of India, with around 100 works created by more than 60 artists, each exploring a different interpretation of the book form. Some resemble visual diaries, while others combine text fragments, photographs, and found materials to evoke memory and history.

By blurring the line between literature and visual art, Unshelving Memories invites audiences to rethink what a book can be—transforming a familiar object from the shelf into a medium for artistic experimentation and storytelling.