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Is it a book, an exhibition, or an exhibition catalog? Is it mass-produced? Is it one-of-a-kind? Dayanita Singh is a book artist who pushes the boundaries of what a book can be, transcending the boundaries between publishing and art. Book Building traces the evolution of Singh’s books, from her first, Zakir Hussain (1986), to her latest, Zakir Hussain Maquette (2019), showcasing the spectrum of her book-making process—from concept to physical object—and how she circulates them in inventive ways within the art world and beyond.
Part brief history, part in-depth exploration, this is Dayanita Singh’s manifesto for the photobook. Taking as a starting point those she created with Steidl, we witness the transformation of books into book-objects that open up new spaces for interpretation: Museum of Chance (2014), for example, first became a book-object, then a diptych, a book box, a museum suitcase, and a book museum, before becoming the permanent museum of Singh’s Museum Bhavan (2017). Book Building documents Singh’s 13 books through images and short texts, as well as several DIY projects Singh created with detailed instructions on how to present her books as exhibitions—making us the curators—along with various performative interventions, from book carts and happenings to installations and guided tours. At the heart of Book Building lies the collaborative process that Dayanita Singh and Gerhard Steidl have established over more than 20 years, the conviction that a book is always a work in progress.
Published by STEIDL
232 pages
20.3 x 28.6 cm
ISBN: 978-3-95829-908-5
Is it a book, an exhibition, or an exhibition catalog? Is it mass-produced? Is it one-of-a-kind? Dayanita Singh is a book artist who pushes the boundaries of what a book can be, transcending the boundaries between publishing and art. Book Building traces the evolution of Singh’s books, from her first, Zakir Hussain (1986), to her latest, Zakir Hussain Maquette (2019), showcasing the spectrum of her book-making process—from concept to physical object—and how she circulates them in inventive ways within the art world and beyond.
Part brief history, part in-depth exploration, this is Dayanita Singh’s manifesto for the photobook. Taking as a starting point those she created with Steidl, we witness the transformation of books into book-objects that open up new spaces for interpretation: Museum of Chance (2014), for example, first became a book-object, then a diptych, a book box, a museum suitcase, and a book museum, before becoming the permanent museum of Singh’s Museum Bhavan (2017). Book Building documents Singh’s 13 books through images and short texts, as well as several DIY projects Singh created with detailed instructions on how to present her books as exhibitions—making us the curators—along with various performative interventions, from book carts and happenings to installations and guided tours. At the heart of Book Building lies the collaborative process that Dayanita Singh and Gerhard Steidl have established over more than 20 years, the conviction that a book is always a work in progress.
Published by STEIDL
232 pages
20.3 x 28.6 cm
ISBN: 978-3-95829-908-5
