Books are usually objects of quiet familiarity. They sit on shelves, waiting to be opened, read and returned to their place. Their purpose appears straightforward — to hold words and images that tell stories, spark imagination, and record histories.
However, at the College of Fine Arts Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, the idea of the book shifts dramatically. At the exhibition ‘Unshelving the Memories’, books are not merely read; they are experienced.
Curated by Shijo Jacob, the ongoing exhibition brings together artists’ books or book art. Pages are not always made of paper, and bindings do not necessarily resemble those of conventional books. Some works incorporate cloth, others wood or metal. Certain pieces experiment with fragile and unusual materials, turning the book into something closer to sculpture than literature.
Curator Shijo says the exhibition aims to introduce audiences to a medium that remains relatively underexplored in India. “It is designed to give younger artists and viewers a new experience. Unlike conventional exhibitions, where artworks are meant only to be observed, artists’ books invite interaction. Through this format, people can explore the freedom the medium offers and understand how a book itself can become a work of art,” he says.
Instead of absorbing information through text and images, viewers encounter form, texture and material. A book becomes an object to be explored visually and tactilely, opening up new possibilities for storytelling and artistic expression, Shijo explains.
One of the distinctive aspects of the exhibition lies in its openness to interaction. In most galleries, the relationship between artwork and viewer is carefully controlled, with the familiar ‘Do Not Touch’ sign creating an invisible barrier.
Here, that boundary is deliberately softened. Visitors are encouraged to hold the books, flip through their pages and experience them directly.
Artists featured in the exhibition approach the book as a space for experimentation and personal reflection. Some works resemble sculptural objects that happen to take the form of a book, while others unfold like visual diaries combining images, fragments of text and layered materials. The results are varied, sometimes playful and sometimes deeply introspective.
Venus Paul, a trans artist currently pursuing her Master’s degree at the institution, reflects on the personal experiences and the stories of the transgender community in her work, exploring themes of transformation, identity and resilience.
“The transformation from a man to a woman was not an easy process. It was a difficult journey, hard. That is why I chose metal for my work. Metal is strong and hard, just like the experience I went through,” says Venus.
The choice of metal here becomes an extension of personal history. The hardness of the material symbolises the strength required during her transition, turning the medium itself into a metaphor embedded within the artwork.
The exhibition also raises subtle questions about how knowledge and memory are experienced, Shijo says. “A conventional book usually presents information linearly. An artist’s book disrupts that order. Viewers may approach it from different angles, focus on textures rather than text, or interpret meaning through visual associations rather than narrative,” he smiles.