An exhibition at the British Museum, Artists Making Books: Poetry to Politics (until 18 February 2024), and an accompanying publication shift the focus however to an extensive collection of artists’ books from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. In Porter’s view, artists’ books by Mena (Middle East and North Africa) and South Asian practitioners should be studied, exhibited and discussed alongside books by Western artists. Porter, since retired, began to acquire books, alongside other works on paper. Azzawi influenced a whole group of artists: Ghassan Ghaib, Nazar Yahya, Hanaa Malallah and Mahmoud Obaidi,” Porter says. • Artists Making Books: Poetry to Politics, Venetia Porter, British Museum Press, 160pp, £25 (pb)

Source: The North Africa Journal November 07, 2023 17:21 UTC