The Bookwallah

Overview

The Bookwallah exhibition is a bit like a portable library, an art/design installation and a writers festival all in one.

In November last year, six Australian and Indian writers went on a 2000km train ride across India with some pretty unique luggage: custom-made, kangaroo-skin suitcases filled with a variety of Australian literature. They had dinner and conversations with some of India's key writers and thinkers, visited some Indian literary festivals, and shared all the sights and adventures along the way on Facebook and Twitter.

Now they're about to embark on an Australian tour, and the first stop is Melbourne. It's a chance for Australian readers to hear some of their stories from the journey, as well as see their luggage — which is much more interesting than it sounds. The suitcases, which were created by Australian and Indian designers Georgia Hutchison and Soumitri Varadarajan, fold out into bookcases and seats when they're opened, allowing visitors to browse and read in comfort.