Index Art Book Fair 2024 – 10th edition
Sol is 10 years old and is Ecuadorian, but he recently moved to Mexico because his mom works here. He supports the América Eagles, I knew that because of the shirt he was wearing, and also because he told me with great conviction. He also told me that he has read all the Harry Potter books; his favorite is The Deathly Hallows, and he argues that, although The Order of the Phoenix has a lot of action, he doesn’t like it because many characters die. We talked a bit more about books because we’re in the children’s area of the Index Art Book Fair in its tenth edition.
Constituyentes metro station is a portal that, when crossed, takes you from the outskirts of the city, from the neighborhood, from every day to a place where there are fancy cafes everywhere and art galleries where they hold book fairs explicitly dedicated to art books and artistic books, which is not the same thing, one only understands if they see them together. If you enter the Kurimanzutto Gallery for one of these events and find a comfortable place to observe everything, you’ll see that books are an excellent excuse for attendees to gather and see old acquaintances. Also, if you look closely, you’ll discover it’s also a runway. There are so many styles here that it’s hard to categorize them as vintage, old money, aesthetic, or similar trends. This is easily explained because many here are artists and they let it be seen through what they wear.
These artists come here to arm themselves with new material that inspires them in their new creations and to find out what’s going on out there. The books on display are often presented by their creators themselves; if you’re lucky, the author may personally explain what a particular work is about. But there’s more; these artists meet others who present their performances in the gallery’s courtyard, intervening in the not-so-everyday routine of an art book fair, and again, it’s possible to approach these performers to get to know them a little more or simply to see them outside of their environment.
Hanging above all these book stands are posters listing “25 ways to make love to the Earth,” and over the loudspeaker, someone is inviting people to some of the talks or book presentations taking place, where the authors are just half a meter away. The walls are decorated with posters, t-shirts, drawings, photographs, and paintings that not only serve as exhibits but are also for sale and are part of the collections presented by the artists. Along the stands, there is a wide variety of books that fascinate with their content, but even more so with their structure. There are proposals for book structures in many stands: books made of fabric, in unconventional shapes like hearts or circles, some very small with giant letters. The variety of formats and designs seems endless and invites you to want to continue exploring the place to see more.
It is inevitable to notice that there are recurring topics in the books presented: the environment, feminism, queer, recreational substance use, and of course, illustration, photography, and design. Because that’s what matters most to artists: knowing and recognizing their world, to try to capture it in what they do. This fair is open to the public and is an excellent opportunity to inhabit an uncommon space in most people’s lives: that of art in books and books in art.
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