Book Recommendations by: ila

Hello, ila! Can you recommend us some books?

1. rules for photographing a scoliotic patient, Woong Soak Teng

rules for photographing a scoliotic patient is a wonderful mix of archival materials, personal encounters and playful design. Definitely something I can return to again and again.

2. HABIT©AT, Atelier HOKO

An inquiry of stray cats in urban spaces. Also it comes with cutie cat stickers. My favourite is speculative sketches of the ideal dwelling for these strays.

3. Can, Cannot, and Other Options, A Weekend Affair

This one feels like a nice hangout with a bunch of folks having rich and meaningful conversations.

What is your most treasured book?

So when my partner and I were in our late twenties, he toured with The Observatory for three weeks in Europe. We were broke ass at that time (so no money for gifts). I gave him a small notebook to fill up during the tour (which he did so wonderfully <3) and this is definitely a cherished time portal of a book.

Recommend us a song!

I'm old but also pretty old school and this refrain from Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie has carried me through tough times:

Cause love's such an old fashioned word, and love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night (people on streets)

And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves. This is our last dance. This is our last dance. This is ourselves. Under pressure. :')

Thank you, ila!

—

ila's (@ilailailailaila_) research centres on peripheral narratives surrounding identity, space and histories that lie hidden, particularly looking at kinships with land and water bodies. She does art sometimes.