banned books

Like a song, books have a tone and association for me; each book represented has a particular meaning or resonance in my life. My intent with these pieces is to evoke an emotional response from the viewer – to trigger a memory of something read and ignite their thoughts on that book being shunned or forbidden.

Books can transport the reader into a different world, opening their eyes to a new experience, feeling, or concept. Why would we choose to restrict intellectual growth? An entire universe can be crafted from a collection of words; the impression of decades distilled to a single sentence.

Each piece represents 50 books that have been banned in the United States, either in the past or currently. While there are many, many more, I chose books that I have read and to which I have a personal connection. I wanted to include a fragment from each text, as books are also objects, as well as the keepers of stories and ideas.

I also chose to work with secondhand books, since they have the residue of use. I wanted a book that had been read, that someone else had carried and marked, touched each page and imagined the author’s vision and experiences. In the copy of Nickel and Dimed, one of the previous owners left notes at the end of a few chapters. I included those in the final image, as they were part of the history of that particular book, and the imprint of that reader.

Sources:

List of currently banned books, also broken down by state and current status of the challenge: PEN America: https://pen.org/issue/book-bans/

List of banned books including the top 10 most banned:

American Library Association: https://www.ala.org/bbooks