Open Book(s): On Solitary Viewership by Rujuta Rao
Presented by Monira Foundation and Mana Contemporary
On Solitary Viewership is an artist book by Rujuta Rao, composed of 93 flashcards held together by a clamp. Using sublimation printing in an edition of 30, Rao reflects on the creation of art for individual viewers, her relationship with her late mentor Aveek Sen, and their shared conversations on queerness, intimacy, and artistic practice.Structured to support her own reading disability, the book examines mentorship as a space where agency and bondage intersect. It also considers how migratory living and transience shape Rao’s mobile and often handheld works, situating the book as both a deeply personal document and a portable site for reflection.
On Solitary Viewership is featured in Monira Foundation’s Open Book program, which celebrates the book as a powerful tool for storytelling, connection, and community-building. Open Book highlights artists working in both traditional and experimental forms who use the book as a vessel to share expansive ideas and personal narratives.
About the Artist:
Rujuta Rao’s practice spans sculpture, installation, book art, garments, and social practice. Her work is research-driven and personal, exploring migration, place, family history, and hospitality. Informed by philosophies of “thing power” (Jane Bennett) and hospitality (Jacques Derrida), she considers how objects, publications, and even beverages can mediate human relationships and act as sites for gathering. Rao’s work often draws on her own migratory life and is inspired by the coastal landscape of her upbringing in Goa, India. She has participated in international residencies, including the Center for Book Arts (NYC) and Bemis Center (Nebraska).
Learn more about the artist: https://www.rujutarao.com
Stay engaged with the Foundation by following @monirafoundation8788
This program is made possible in part by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund and by a generous grant from the Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.