For Display Purposes Only!

Have got myself involved with an exhibition running in May at Unit 5 studios in Norwich. We've provisionally booked the 24th-30th May! We haven't got a specific theme in mind however all of our work can is loosely connected via "the home". I intend to make a bookshelf to exhibit my "books" and also make a coffee table using books as the base (currently on a mission to find some so called "coffee table books", as I would quite like to highlight the absurdity of owning books for display purposes only! The very idea shocks and appauls me, such a waste! I think it'd be very amusing to give these books a use like their name suggests!

However it isn't without contradiction that a lot of "coffee table books" are big, expensive art and photography books! I find it bewildering that a book which holds images of an art object can become an art object in itself by virtue of its purpose. "For display purposes only/Do not touch" comes to mind! It has made me consider the different purposes that different types of books can possess, especially as someone who struggles to let go of a book...I mean, I still own study guides that I no longer need! One of which, I thought of framing as a piece of art, the pages are covered with colour coded notes. It's odd that I had no qualms whatsoever about writing or drawing on study guides...I suppose it makes sense when revising but in any other book i'd view it as sacrilege!

Hmm...I fear I am digressing, back to the different purposes of books, I suppose you have:

Study guides - no explanation needed here I guess, although they are often sold on or handed down through generations to make use of the more than once!

Coffee-table books/books for display - you know the type, usually full of glossy photographs, with minimal text and as for those display books, I actually own a few (I do like to contradict myself!); nice editions/covers of books I already own, a lot of publishers tend to market huge leather bound versions of classics too.

Books for pleasure - probably the majority of my book collection falls under this, could be any kind of book.

Books for escapism - this is one of the main reasons i read books, to relax, unwind and escape the stresses of life!

Books for entertainment - fiction that entertains us, could be anything depending on what entertains you! (but also humour titles)

Books that educate/inform/instruct - self explanatory really, but a few examples might be cookery books, assorted reference titles and "how to guides"

Religious/Spiritual books - again, it's all in the name

Mini books/pocket guides - that you never actually keep in your pocket

Toilet books - yes, there are actually books marketed to keep in bathrooms...weird!

Gift books - books you receive as gifts, probably something marking your day of birth/'You are a Good Friend' - full of endearing/overbearing sentiment and cutesy pictures of animals in hilarious pairings which actually suggests that the person who bought you this gift probably isn't really worth classing as a friend!
reference books - dictionaries/encyclopaedias and the like (that tend to sit on shelves until a dispute during scrabble ensues!)
I guess a lot of these depend on the person.

And ofcourse...books for art!

I'm sure there are many more purposes of books, perhaps I will ask my fellow booksellers when I'm next at work. I'm sure someone out there uses books in a practical sense maybe as a doorstop/cheap alternative to fire wood/lining for a litter tray...maybe.

My musings will end here as I fear I will get on to rambling territory (as usual!)


Oh, also, I have recently started using Twitter, (yes,yes, I know...I've jumped on the bandwagon!) but if you would like to follow me just search my username: EmmaJaneCorsan