The burning book is one of the most powerful images of the suppression of free speech. But Cai Guo-Qiang’s Danger Book: Suicide Fireworks (2008) is a set of books that’s pages are actually made from gunpowder. The unique pieces of art may already have gone up in smoke, but the photographic memory above is just one of the many eclectic book works on display at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

‘Blood on Paper’ showcases artist’s books from the influential to the unknown.  At a time when the physicality of the book is challenged by the advent of the electronic book, the artist’s responses to the historical notion of the ‘livre d'artiste’ are, not surprisingly, varied and often personal.  Louise Bourgeois’s spider etchings (Ode à ma Mère, 1995) are beautiful and disturbing; Jeff Koons’ ‘The Jeff Koons Handbook’ (1992) is clearly self-referential while Anish Kapoor has contributed books with torn pages entitled Wound (2006).

Blood on Paper: The Art of the Book, V&A until June 29, 2008

Cai Guo-Qiang  ‘Danger Book: Suicide Fireworks’ Photo © Tatsumi Masatoshi, Courtesy Ivory Press (2006) / V&A