For the Love of Books
Discussion on artist books with Chandan Gomes, Dileep Prakash and Gagan Singh

May 6, 2017, Saturday | 5:30 pm
C13 Pamposh Enclave, New Delhi - 110048

The FICA Reading Room seems to be the perfect setting in which to discuss the art of making books. Artists’ books exist at the intersections of various mediums which include photography, poetry, experimental narrative, visual arts, graphic design, and publishing. They speak of portability and exhibitory possibilities, accessibility and experimentation. Chandan Gomes, Gagan Singh and Dileep Prakash share notes on the way artists and photographers explore the book format within the context of their wider practice. Please join us for this informal session and bring along your ideas and book proposals to share with the group.

Chandan Gomes studied Philosophy at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi (2009). Themes of beauty, imitation and abandonment interest him as a photographer. His artist book, 'This World of Dew', published by PHOTOINK, was released in 2015 and went on to garner much critical acclaim. ‘This World of Dew’ has been shown at the Benaki Museum, Athens and Parc Des Ateliers, Arles. He currently teaches at the Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts & Communications, Delhi.

Dileep Prakash. A considerable part of Prakash's work navigates memory, history and the passage of time. His fascination for steam locomotives began when he traveled between his boarding school and home. By the 1990's most steam engines had been phased out and he photographed some of India's last steam trains (1999-2003). From 2007 to 2010, Prakash photographed boarding schools built by the British in colonial India. He began this project, titled 'What Was Home', at his alma mater Mayo College, which was built in 1875. His preoccupation with the past unfolds through photographs as he engages with both human neglect and attachment. Dileep Prakash is represented by Photoink and lives in New Delhi.

Gagan Singh is a Delhi based artist exploring drawing through working on site, the book format, writing and workshops. He is a graduate from Kent Institute of Art and Design. He was recently part of the Khoj International Workshop, Goa and Shanghai Biennale. In the group show "Hanger for the Passerby" curated by Akansha Rastogi, at KNMA, he uses sketchbooks as a form of practice and as a way to resolve / create imaginary problems. His Drawing Club at FICA was also intimated through a workshop with Sketchbook as a form of engaging with the content of the Reading Room to ways of making the book. He regularly blogs at drawinginspace@wordpress.com about his different projects and ideas.

Rang Open Library comes to spend the day with us
2:30 - 5:30 pm

Rang Open Library will conduct discussions with visitors on their proposals, ongoing projects and completed books. They will also introduce the collection they bring to the FICA Reading Room space between 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. 

Rang Open Library was co founded in 2011 by Chandan Gomes and Vicky Roy and is a Delhi based community of artists working towards creating an open and a democratic space for the study and practice of visual arts.