Bookstores have been expanding the definition of what patrons expect - not only as a place to buy books. Other forms of media such as music, video, computer programs and even video and board games have been a fixture for a long while.  With the larger franchises you can get all this and more; would you like a box of chocolates, coffee, or tea with that book? The direction would appear to be towards anything that stimulates our minds.  A strong trend I have noticed in rare book boutiques and used book sellers is the combining works of writers with those of visual artists.  Come for the books, stay for the art OR come for the art, and stay for the books. Artists read and write books after all, whether of the coffee table variety or instructional. As such, you may buy a book about art and/or get something to decorate your home.  Sometimes the booksellers hold events more akin to those of an art gallery, complete with opening parties for exhibitions. Is the book + art connection a branching out for the enterprise, or is it perhaps an adaption to stay relevant, or even just to capture a certain niche? 

Art display at bookshop

On one hand it is all art.  Literary art is an art form so the book itself is a work of art.  Even though many book shops are just wall-to-wall books and an art gallery is usually just the opposite but with visual art pieces instead of books, there are certainly instances of overlapping.  In fact, art galleries also will be seen to include a corner devoted to books.  Authors team up with illustrators and find themselves together at book-signing events; also art and literature are naturally very closely interwoven in the creation of graphic novels.

Farewell Books, first day.

A prime example of the art displayed in bookstores phenomena, Farewell Books is a progressive bookshop and art gallery that specializes in new and used hard to find books and magazines.  Farewell Books sets out to provide space for contemporary culture and community. In addition to release parties and poetry or prose readings as one would expect at bookstores, the owners host art openings, performances of theater and film, workshops, and so forth.

Another way in which book stores and visual art have come to intersect is in taking old books that are victim to time and are disintegrating and crafting them into artworks.  “Altered books” is a term for art made from disused old books incorporating elements of origami or sculpting in the process. You may find workshops that encourage book art or altered books held at used bookstores or libraries. This art reclaims outdated books in poor condition and turns them into unique even beautiful creations.  One that I know of in my community shared their reason for promoting altered book art: “The goal of Recycled Reads is to extend the life and maximize the use of books and media and by including crafting and up-cycling we can help meet the City of Austin's Zero Landfill goals. ”  So in this manner, a process of creating art and sourcing media to do so in the form of worn out books is good for raising awareness for the environment.  If you think about it, papier-mâché brought old newspaper media into the hands of artists in a similar fashion.

Black White and Read All Over  © Lauren Moss

Books and art media in their physical forms are being rapidly transformed into digital versions in our technologically advanced age. Digitized media are admittedly easier to store, replace and preserve, however, the characteristic of tactility still draws us to want to hold and have a more personal experience with books and art. A book shop is primarily a place for books, so it would be safe to assume that first time visitors expect only books - yet they find themselves intersecting with the art displayed along with the literature.  It is an innovative way to combine two cultures into one to enhance the experience for people browsing book stores to learn new stuff, find a non-specific gift or maybe just there to pass time.

Please feel welcome to comment with your experiences and opinions, or tell me about another place you know of that has a similar setup.  Share what you know as a patron or a shop owner. I am curious and want to learn more. This is so many things I love rolled into one - art, books, business and innovative commerce.  


© Rebecca H Knight, all images and media used are © their respective owners. All rights reserved.

In MunnyWorld you can do anything you want!

 KidRobot has been a leader in the counterculture phenomenon of art and design called “Urban Vinyl” ever since 2002 with the introduction of their first toy simply named Kidrobot ‘Bot. That is the robotic figure with the Mohawk-like fin thingy down the center of its head on their site. Custom Munny-making is a playful (or serious) creative project for ages 5 and up and making its mark on the art scene. What is a Munny? It’s like an unfinished doll or rather a full-on armature for an artist or sculptor to work on. The only limit in MunnyWorld is the artist’s imagination.

You might be wondering “Is this for kids, I mean the site says kid robot”… well actually many adults, one for example - artist Matt Groening, are creating their own versions from this series of dolls. It is additionally touted as a fun crafting idea for families to work on together, so you don’t have to consider yourself an artist to still have creative fun. Or, one could simply walk into the store to buy a gift for a youngster, and end up with a head full of ideas and a doll or 2 of their own to play with. Such is the story of newcomer Munny artist Tanya Davis who had her first TRIKKY doll creation on display at a local gallery in Spring 2013. A couple photos of this piece are being shared with her permission here. 

The Munny’s base form is made of a smooth white vinyl - sort of a blank canvas - that is safe to bake at 275F if applying polymer clays. Aside from paint, ink, and clay, there are many things you can do such as glue decoration to them, apply typographics, use yarn and fabric – you imagine it, you can make it happen to the Munny. It is also common for art teachers to assign Munny customization projects for their classes. They range in size from the "micro" at 2.5in and go up to the 18in “mega”. 

A celebrity who has helped promote the Munny is Rosie O’Donnell. She has mentioned them in interviews as she did on The Martha Stewart Show, and sold them from her etsy store in order to benefit her arts education school for children.

The figurine shapes vary, with their own names, there is the original MUNNY and also BUB, TRIKKY, RAFFY, FOOMI and ROOZ. New releases come out every so often, and there are limited editions of unique doll forms and even a variety of premade vinyl accessories to go with them. The official site for more info on the MunnyWorld brand and a gallery showcasing an array of art types and styles of customized Munnys is at this link.  



Here is a video I found that shows the artistic process of one painter working on a Munny project with a short stop-animation story at the end.

Available on Amazon

*Please be aware that there is a shortage of MunnyWorld products due to decreased manufacturing of popular figures such as the ones mentioned here. 
Market prices will vary accordingly.