Books are almost universally judged by the text on their pages, but a new exhibition in Seoul invites audiences to look beyond words and consider how paper, typography and binding can elevate a physical volume into a standalone work of art. Presented by Seoul Art Book Bogo — a public cultural facility operated in tandem with the Korean Publishers Association — “Artbookgraphy: A Landscape Where Art and Publishing Intersect” runs through Dec. 6 in Guro District in western Seoul. The exhibition, which opened Wednesday, marks the venue’s first major survey dedicated to the medium since its founding in 2022. Unlike trade publications, art books intentionally fuse tactile form with thematic substance, treating cover materials, graphic layouts and structural binding as core components of artistic expression. “An art book is more than text and images — it is an artwork enjoyed through its cover, paper texture and the very act of turning its pages,” said Oh Ji-eun, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Library. “We hope this exhibition encourages visitors to see books through a fr