6 stunning art books that aren’t just decor props

Over a period of five years, Sohrab Hura, winner of the 2025 Eye Art and Film Prize, recorded everyday life and the passage of time in Kashmir through three distinct phases of its winter: chillai kalan (harsh cold), chillai khurd (small cold), and chillai bache (baby cold).⁠ The result is Snow, a photographic documentation of the picturesque landscapes and communities of a place that is, ironically, also one of the most heavily militarised regions in the world. The recently released photo tome marks the artist’s return to photography.

With Kolkata, which releases April 28, publisher Sri Bodanapu continues her passion project of documenting the symphony of sights, sounds, and flavours of Indian cities via personal essays and photographs a year after the success of her first culinary photo book Mumbai, which won a Gourmand Best in the World award.

Beautifully documented and deeply researched, great art books are more than mere table props. We round up this year’s most exciting releases—from thoughtful photo tomes to personal photo documentaries—that will help you get acquainted with India’s varied art (and best-known artists). The best part? They double as decor.

‘Snow’ by Sohrab Hura, Mack Publishing, ₹9,706

This photo book captures the political urgency and poetic beauty of Kashmir, as well as the contrasting identities of beauty and brutality in the union territory, one photograph at a time.

‘Portrait of an Artist’ by Rohit Chawla, Mapin Publishing, ₹2,500

After his photo series on authors, Chawla returns with a photo book featuring 60 monochromatic artist portraits featuring the likes of SH Raza, Bharti Kher, and Mithu Sen, to name a few. For this book, the photo veteran collaborates with Kishore Singh to capture some of India’s finest artists.

‘Jamakkalam’ by Amar Ramesh, Kumaraguru Institutions, and Shakti Creativity and Culture Initiative, Coimbatore, Mara Labs, ₹2,499

A visually stunning book that captures the bold colours, textures, and technique that goes into making Tamil Nadu’s traditional weave that tends to make an appearance at almost every gathering.

‘India Street Lettering’ by Pooja Saxena, Blaft Publications, ₹1,995

As digital printing technologies become more popular, this book captures Indian streets and serves as a living typographic archive of India’s vast and vibrant handcrafted signages.

‘Elephant in the Room’ by Bharat Sikka, Fw:Books, ₹6,900

Sikka uses AI as a tool to question and rethink photography, exploring how machines see and interpret images alongside human perception.

‘Kolkata’, edited by Madhushree Basu Roy and Anindya Basu, Heirloom Cities, ₹5,500

After its first edition, Mumbai, Heirloom Cities publishes Kolkata (out on April 28), a coffee-table tribute that packs a collection of well-researched essays that trace how colonial history, migration, and local traditions have shaped the city’s culinary identity.