Sharjah :
With 2,213 publishers from 95 different countries showcasing 1.5 million titles in one venue
at the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), the creative approach adopted by several
publishers to display their titles is making all the difference in attracting more visitors!
At the expansive halls of the ongoing SIBF 2022, some uniquely styled imaginative stands
stand out from the crowd and grab visitor attention immediately.
Simple yet elegant, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s stand in Hall #3, is one such example of a
visually stirring design. What seems from afar like a sheer curtain of soft gold, has been
artistically created, using pencils dipped in golden colour which are then twisted and tied
together by thin threads.
“The designers chose to use pencils,” says Bashar Jassim, Director Bahrain International
Book Fair, “because a pencil is one of the most basic tools used to write, and from these
written words, one creates books.”
The annual SIBF’s appeal for showcasing a large selection of children’s titles led Sama
Publishing, Production & Distribution in Hall 4 to design a lively stand for this category of
readers. Large digital print outs of board games and book-titles have been pasted on two
walls, even as an almost life-size wall-art of a cheerful Arab boy welcomes visitors.
Miniature hot-air balloons float about from a slatted wooden roof. Well-lit racks, constructed
at a lower-height, hold neatly stacked books and games for little ones to reach on their own.
Kairali Books in Hall 7 has framed and mounted several outstanding drawings and paintings
done by renowned Indian artist Kottayam Nazeer from Kerala, on two entire walls. Each
visual masterpiece is for sale along with Nazeer’s coffee table book, Art of My Heart.
Antiquariat Inlibris’s elegant stand in Hall 6 is also a great visual delight. The ingenious stand
uses clear eye-level glass boxes as walls, which serves a dual purpose of showcasing open
pages of antique books and manuscripts. The wall is also studded with paintings and maps
and invaluable historical drawings and memorabilia.
“Coloured pictures have been placed right at the top of the display wall. Once we have the
attention of the visitor with the posters on top, we know they will walk in to see the whole
wall,” says Yaser Al Tamimi, Branch Manager of the publishing house in the UAE.
A table placed in the centre allows visitors interested in purchasing these extremely rare
tomes, pictures and memorabilia, a safe space to sit and view them in comfort.
The 2022 edition of the annual Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) offers a matchless
opportunity for bibliophiles and book lovers to engage with thousands of industry
professionals from across the region and around the world until November 13.