The Good Buy: Book Sculptures

Don’t mistake her work for some kind of fancy dog-earing—Banoo Batliboi’s book sculptures require complex technical drawings and can sometimes take weeks to complete. Batliboi, 54, who chanced upon the technique when she saw a book sculpture at someone’s home about a decade ago, learned the craft herself, experimenting on second-hand books (acquired mostly from footpath sellers near Flora Fountain). Today, Batliboi’s creations are exacting enough to be displayed in galleries. They are often crafted from discarded paperbacks and leather bound tomes engraved with 22 karat gold embossing. The works, origami-like in complexity, are like pop-up patterns, revealing near symmetrical alignment in form and texture. Prices start at Rs4,000 for a basic book sculpture. Email contact@booksculptures.in or visit Booksculptures.in to buy one and for more information.