The history of the written word has long been intertwined with that of censorship. Whenever authors have chosen an idea which seems even slightly provocative for the times, they have faced a backlash from religious, political and legal authorities. It is to emphasise the kind of censorship authors and books face these days that Goa-based photographer Rohit Chawla has recreated covers of banned books for his recent project.
The subject of banned books is a layered one. First, there is the content of the book in itself, and added to that is the layer of censorship, which makes the book even more significant as a symbol of resistance.
For Chawla, books and publications have been central to his practice. "I have done about 400 covers for important news magazines and books. The subject of banned books is particularly relevant today, given the 'cancel culture' that threatens our daily social discourse," says Chawla, who debuted the series at a recent art exposition at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi, after which the series moved to the Stir Gallery in Chhattarpur Farms. The recreated book covers will travel to numerous literature festivals in the coming months.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Using AI In Workflow To Make Work Less Stressful
Al's role in workflow automation goes beyond efficiency-it also directly impacts employee well-being
Employees' Provident Fund Has Issues. Can Employees Opt Out?
EPF contributors face mounting challenges as limited withdrawal options and high rejection rates persist
The Promise And Challenges Of Insurance Reform
One of the most awaited results of the hike in foreign holding is the infusion of capital
Becoming better at work with daily reflection
Fujifilm India's Arun Babu on the significance of constant learning
A new incentive structure could help preserve standing forests
The proposed tropical forest forever facility would use blended finance to reward countries for protecting their green cover
Let someone else play knight in shining armour for Disney
CEO Iger should quit can-kicking and help the next chief succeed
Thomas E. Kurtz gave us our Basic lessons in software
He wanted computers kept accessible, as seen in the programming language he pioneered
Why the 5-star hotel experience needs urgent reforms
From gagging TV sets to guiding guests on surviving tucked-in beds, plenty needs to be fixed
COP-29 could not escape the US election's impact
The $300 billion pledged by rich countries as climate funding is grossly insufficient. True, Trump's US may revert to climate scepticism, but others must try harder to mobilize funds
Empower women to participate equally in Digital India's success
We must go beyond bridging gaps in internet access and maximize women's agency in using devices