At this fair, books take different forms

CHENNAI: A book does not always have to look like a book. It could be a folded sheet of paper, a collection of photographs, a comic, or a small, handmade publication. Chennai will get a closer look at these lesser-seen forms of publishing at Padithavudan Kizhithuvidavum, Kannadi Cupboard’s annual self-published book fair. The three-day fair brings together people who publish independently, along with independent publishing houses, artists and curators from across India.

“Here, we are looking at projects of different kinds of books that are published by individuals without the help of a publishing house. It can be a zine, a photobook or an artist book. We also have independent publishing houses taking part,” says Prasanna Venkatesh of Kannadi Cupboard.

Jojo Library, an artist book library from Mumbai, is among the participants. It publishes its own artist books, collaborates with other artists and also maintains a library of books and materials that fit the fair’s focus. The fair also includes a book curation collective that does not publish books but curates self-published titles from across the country.

And these books can look very different from the novels and hardbacks usually found at a book fair. “A zine, for instance, can be made from a single sheet of paper that is cut and folded. Comics bring together illustrations and narratives, while photobooks combine photographs with text and other visual elements. Artist books can be more experimental and are often produced in small numbers. Sometimes, an artist may not want to mass-produce a book by making 300 or 400 copies. They might make just 20 copies and sell those 20,” smiles Prasanna.

The idea is to introduce Chennai audiences to these forms of publishing and create conversations around art books and zines that are rarely seen at mainstream book fairs in the city. “Chennai has a strong book culture, but when it comes to small formats and different ways of publishing, there is a certain resistance. Through this book fair, we want people to discover other forms of publishing,” he says.

This year, the fair will feature 12 exhibitors from Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kochi, including eight self-publishing artists, two independent publishing houses and a book curation collective. Alongside them will be a common spread featuring works by 32 artists who are unable to attend the fair in person.

Close to 100 titles will be available through this section. The format is deliberately intimate. The stalls will be arranged on the floor, allowing visitors to sit down, browse through the books and spend time with them rather than simply walk past shelves. Padithavudan Kizhithuvidavum will be held from September 18 to 20 at Kannadi Cupboard, Tambaram.