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Artists making books: poetry to politics showcases the British Museum’s little-known, yet extensive collection of artists’ books from the Middle East and beyond.

This book accompanies a 2023 British Museum exhibition.

In the hands of an artist, a book can take on a radically different form, offering a novel means of expression. Studies of artists’ books often focus on those made in Europe and North America from the early twentieth century onwards, yet across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, artists have been creating books that tackle political and subversive themes, and demonstrate their passion for literary traditions or modern poetry, while also telling personal stories.

This richly illustrated publication of works from the collection of the British Museum includes books by artists from Beirut to Tunis, Damascus to Lahore. The works highlight the relationship between artists and writers and the influences that inform their work.

In the words of Indian artist Nalini Malani, the book is “a carrier of experience”. Once opened, each book unlocks an entire world.