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May 2010
New Art Books:
Marina Abramovic + the future of performance art- edited by Paula Orrell. 2010
- Abramovic's remarkable career as one of her generation's most challenging performance artists, has paved the way for younger artists who are interested in this complex and often radical art form. Lately Abramovic has turned her attention to exploring ways to encapsulate the art form after the performance is physically completed. This project explores the diversity of contemporary performance art through the works of exciting new artists from around the world. Their use of storytelling, virtual worlds, audience participation, sound, and the body are documented in this illustrated volume. An interview by Hans Ulrich Obrist with Abramovic outlines the challenges and goals of her new project while essays by leading curators in the field of performance art explore methods for preserving this unique art form, and brief profiles of each of the artists introduce readers to a new generation of challenging and innovative performance artists. Exhibition: The Pigs of Today Are the Hams of Tomorrow, Plymouth Arts Centre, 22nd January 21st March 2010. Related Exhibition: Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present, Museum of Modern Art, New York 14th March 31st May 2010. (Amazon)
Otto Dix - edited by Olaf Peters. 2010
- This generously illustrated monograph on Otto Dix presents the work of the controversial German artist renowned for his unflinching portrayal of life during war time and the aftermath of violence. The celebrated German artist Otto Dix, a volunteer for the German Army during World War I, went on to create some of the most powerful anti-war images of the modern age. His work also includes unsettling depictions of civilian life in the Weimar Republic following World War I. This book examines every aspect of Dix s career, from his expressionist work to his gradual embrace of classically influenced realism. Though many of Dix s works were destroyed under the Third Reich, a number of his rarely seen landscapes from that era a genre forced on him by the Nazi government as well as later works of religious allegory are included here. The result is a timeline of artistic development as we witness a master grapple with creative passions and political oppression. (Amazon)
The photograph as contemporary art- Charlotte Cotton. 2009
- For this new edition, Charlotte Cotton brings the story of contemporary art photography up to date with a chapter on artists who emphasize the physical and material properties of photography, who use photography as just one component in their pan-media practice, or who choose to experiment with new modes of dissemination for their work. Featuring significant and established art photographers such as Isa Genzken and Sherrie Levine alongside a younger generation that includes Florian Maier-Aichen, Sara VanDerBeek, and Walead Beshty, Cotton points to the diversity and energy of art photography in this century. 210 color, 32 b&w illustrations. (Amazon)
Silhouette - Emma Rutherford. 2009
- Elegant and enigmatic, the silhouette is the simplest of art forms - but that simplicity belies a rich and varied past. In this first major work on the art of the silhouette, art historian Emma Rutherford draws from dozens of American and European sources to create a fascinating history of the art form - and to illuminate the compelling social history hidden behind its shadows. (Amazon )
Tim Burton- Ron Magliozzi, Jenny He. 2009
- With a visual style inspired by the aesthetics of animation and silent comedy, Tim Burton has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking over the past three decades, melding the exotic, the horrific and the comic, and manipulating expressionism and fantasy with the skill of a graphic novelist. Published to accompany a major retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art, this volume considers Burtons career as an artist and filmmaker. It narrates the evolution of his creative practices, following the current of his visual imagination from his earliest childhood drawings through his mature oeuvre. Illustrated with works on paper, moving-image stills, drawn and painted concept art, puppets and maquettes, storyboards, and examples of his work as a graphic artist for his nonfilm projects, this exhibition catalogue sheds new light on Burton and presents previously unseen works from the artists personal archive. (Amazon)
Drawing the Waitakere Coast- Don Binney. 2010
- In 2008 the famous painter Don Binney completed a suite of 24 absolutely charming coloured pencil drawings of Auckland's West Coast, from Huia to Te Henga (Bethells). They are evocative of the coast so many New Zealanders love and they are magnificent works in themselves. They are accompanied by text that takes the reader on an imaginary journey from Huia to Te Henga, commenting on the landmarks shown in each of the drawings. They also draw on Binney's extensive contact with this coast and with the Waitakeres in general: in early adulthood he tramped and camped throughout the area, he was a founder member of the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society and he has often used his art to underpin his conservation-activist work. (Random House)
Art and text- Dave Beech. 2010 The use of written language has been one of the most defining developments in visual art of the twentieth century. Art and Text investigates the use of text in contemporary artistic practice, showcasing the most innovative and groundbreaking examples of how word and image have come to occupy the same artistic terrain in contemporary art. With accessible essays on the relationship between word and image, Art and Text showcases some of the most interesting work from a cross-section of well- and lesser-known artists. {Amazon)
The big book of green design- Suzanna Stephen. 2009
- The Big Book of Green Design explores the specific techniques and methods that graphic designers are employing worldwide to make their business a more earth-friendly one. When paying clients need a more environmentally conscious image, they turn to ad agencies and in-house designers for cost-effective solutions. The results are often surprising, innovative, and new, and The Big Book of Green Design features the best of these earth-friendly designs. Mainly focusing on printed materials, but also showcasing examples of trade show environments, repurposed designs, and the new anti-packaging trend, the book showcases over 450 examples of marketing and collateral materials produced using environmentally favorable methods. (Amazon)
100 girls on cheap paper : drawings by Tina Berning- Tina Berning. 2009
- A joyful celebration of lush femininity and quick-witted girlishness, this gorgeous little art book is truly a treasure in itself. German artist Tina Berning's international reputation is on the rise, winning her raves in the blog world, and it's easy to see why - her paintings and drawings of women, gathered together here for the first time, are as expressive as they are beautiful. (Amazon)
For love and money : new illustration- Liz Farrelly and Olivia Triggs. 2010
- Over the past decade there has been a creative rebirth in the practice of illustration. Contemporary illustration has more applications, methodologies and fans than ever before. With modes of production ranging from the re-imagined traditions of drawing, painting and collage, to the wide range of computer-based applications, and a myriad of unique combinations of both hand and digital means, today's illustrators are breaking the mold in terms of production. This book investigates these myriad ways of working and creating, by featuring work from a diverse range of more than 80 contemporary practitioners, some of whom have never before been featured in a book. Drawn from around the world, the work is accompanied by analysis and interviews with the illustrators. A collection that showcases new talent and focuses on current trends, this book offers a definitive guide to illustration in the new millennium. (Amazon)
You can do a graphic novel - Barbara Slate. 2010
- In You Can Do a Graphic Novel, Barbara Slate guides aspiring graphic novelists through the same process she learned in her early days working for Marvel and DC Comics-a process she has simplified for the classes she teaches and for the syndicated column she writes. Written in the form of a graphic novel itself, the book covers all the components and shows readers how to: -Find their own drawing style regardless of ability, -Create memorable characters, compelling plots and subplots, and engaging dialog , -Traverse the graphic novel business. (Amazon)
Playful type : ephemeral lettering and illustrative fonts - Klanten, Robert. 2009
- Graphic designers have always developed and designed new fonts for application in individual projects. Playful Type discovers a new and young generation of designers who are applying typography beyond the classical typeset and creating a dynamic range of playful and illustrative fonts and ephemeral lettering. From manual lettering, calligraphy and collage to manipulative time exposure of photographs, designers are developing fonts for the moment which are irregular and often accidental. (Amazon)
1000 ideas by 100 graphic designers - Matteo Cossu
- 1000 Ideas by 100 Graphic Designers showcases work from a selection of today's best designers while providing precious tips to the graphic design enthusiast. The book delivers a behind-the-scenes depiction of every project, providing a virtual instruction manual to the finished project and its creative, productive, and organizational framework. The 1000 suggestions vary in form and function, from the theoretical to the practical, giving insights on new materials, techniques, and tools. (Amazon)
March 2010
New Art Books:
Caravaggio : the complete works- Sebastian Schultze ; directed and produced by Benedikt Taschen. 2009
- Caravaggio, or more accurately Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Milan 1571 - Porto Ercole 1610), was a legend even in his own lifetime. Celebrated by some for his naturalism and his revolutionary pictorial inventions, he was considered by others to have destroyed painting. Few other artists have attracted such controversial and contradictory interpretations right up to modern times and to the latest art historical research. The book offers a comprehensive new examination of the whole of Caravaggio's oeuvre with a catalogue raisonee of his works. Five introductory chapters analyse his artistic career from his training in Lombard Milan and his triumphal rise in papal Rome up to his dramatic final years in Naples, Malta and Sicily. The spotlight thereby falls upon the radical nature and innovative force of his art and its influence in all of Europe. Our understanding of Caravaggio's work has been substantially broadened in recent decades by major exhibitions, restoration campaigns, new attributions and archival discoveries. The new catalogue raisonee offers a detailed overview of Caravaggio's entire oeuvre on the basis of the latest research. All the paintings are documented in large-scale reproductions and spectacular detail illustrations that set new standards in their scope and quality. (Amazon)
Frankenthaler at eighty : six decades- Karen Wilkin, curator.
- Frankenthaler at Eighty commemorates painter Helen Frankenthaler's eightieth birthday with a selection of masterworks from her own collection. Published concurrently with an exhibition at New York's Knoedler & Company, this handsome volume--the cover of which features Frankenthaler's great painting, "A Green Thought in a Green Shade" (1981)--pays tribute to the painter's long and distinguished career, with a fully illustrated survey of the works chosen for the exhibition, which represent quintessential paintings from each period of her career. Also included are historic photographs of Frankenthaler and a detailed chronology studded with reprinted images from periodicals, including art magazine covers. An essay by curator Karen Wilkin--who worked closely with Frankenthaler in the curation of this exhibition, and who has worked with the painter extensively for decades--sheds new light on the painter's tremendous contribution to American art during the last half-century. (Amazon)
Rodchenko & Popova : defining Contructivism- edited by Margarita Tupitsyn. 2009
- Following the Russian Revolution, two artists, Aleksandr Rodchenko (1891-1956) and Liubov Popova (1889-1924), propelled the avant-garde in an exciting new direction. As pioneers of the Constructivist movement, Rodchenko and Popova created an astonishing array of iconic work that reflected the new political and cultural landscape of their nation. In this groundbreaking book, leading authorities on Constructivism and the Russian avant-garde shed new light on the artists' achievements and examine the extent of their influence on twentieth-century graphic design, fashion, theater, and film. For the first time, the issue of gender in the Constructivist movement is explored in-depth, with the artists' extensive network of colleagues and collaborators considered in the discussion. Extensively illustrated with striking examples of the artists' work, including previously unpublished works, Rodchenko and Popova is a comprehensive account of their creative development, from their movement through different mediums to their passionate rejection of "art for art's sake." Published to accompany a major exhibition at Tate Modern, this is an indispensable guide to a fascinating period in art history. (Amazon)
Susan Rothenberg : moving in place - organized by Michael Auping ; with an introduction by Barbara Buhler Lynes and essay by Michael Auping. 2009
- A retrospective volume of Susan Rothenberg's work, this book addresses the artist's entire career to date, focusing on her unique methods and themes. Full-colour illustrations and foldouts of Rothenberg's bestknown early works as well as exciting new paintings afford readers the chance to observe the evolution of Rothenberg's themes. From her earliest horse paintings through her spinning figures of the 1980s and early 1990s to her most recent series of paintings of dismembered puppets, this book highlights key compositional strategies in Rothenberg's work. Michael Auping contributes an essay addressing Rothenberg's painting process and the eclectic influences that have helped shape her figurative and spatial distortions. Barbara Buhler Lynes addresses Rothenberg's work in the context of Santa Fe and the tradition of twentieth-century women artists it has inspired, from Mable Dodge Luhan to Georgia O'Keeffe to Agnes Martin. (Amazon )
Van Gogh : heartfelt lines- edited by Klaus Albrecht Schroeder. 2008
- This book focuses for the first time on the relationship between drawing and painting in Van Gogh's Art. Includes 50 paintings and 120 major watercolours and drawings by Van Gogh. [The authors]: Sjraar Van Heugten is Head of Collections at the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Klaus Albrecht Schroder is Director of the Graphic Art Collection at the Albertina, Vienna. Marije Vellekoop is Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Van Gogh Museum. Heinz Widauer is a curator of the Graphic Art Collection at the Albertina. (Amazon)
Painting abstraction : new elements in abstract painting- Bob Nickas. 2009
- In recent years, abstract painting has developed a rich complexity that, now more than ever, rewards intensive viewing; this authoritative book guides the reader through the key issues in the field. Painting Abstraction profiles 80 of today's most vital contemporary abstract painters, such as Mark Grotjahn and Amy Sillman, featuring large full-color reproductions of their work and incisive texts by author and curator Bob Nickas. The product of years of research and countless studio visits, Painting Abstraction is a major statement on the last five years of this exciting new wave of creativity in painting. (Amazon)
Lichtenstein posters
Robin Williams handmade design workshop : create handmade elements for digital design- Carmen Sheldon and Robin Williams. 2010
- Over the course of the last several years, the DIY market has exploded spawning magazines, books, movies and fueling the growth of the online, handmade marketplace. In Robin Williams Handmade Design Workshop: Create Handmade Elements for Digital Designs, best-selling author Robin Williams and Carmen Sheldon take designers away from their computers and show them, step-by-step, how to use traditional artist's tools to create handmade elements for their digital artwork. The authors provide a wealth of new ideas to jump-start creativity and get graphic designers thinking in new ways. Each how-to is illustrated with tons of photos to show how to use paints, inks, textures, modeling pastes, and more to create handmade materials that can then be scanned in and used to create one-of-a-kind print projects or web sites. Examples of finished projects and Web sites are featured throughout the book to provide both instruction and inspiration for designers to use in their own projects. (Amazon)
Made & sold : toys, T-shirts, prints, zines and other stuff- Agathe Jacquillat and Tomi Vollauschek at FL33. 2009
- Indie artists, designers and illustrators are doing it for themselves! Tough times often lead to greater creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Where once designers might have produced a set of postcards to promote themselves or simply for fun, demand for individual design has led to an explosion of quirky and covetable products for sale via the Internet. Self-initiated projects, such as T-shirts or button designs, are fast becoming businesses in themselves. This book showcases over 500 of the cutest and most exciting graphic products by over 90 practitioners from around the world, including: books, magazines and zines; toys; posters, prints and canvases; fonts and typographic 3D products; clothing; and accessories. (Amazon)
Seymour : the obsessive images of Seymour Chwast- introduction by Steven Heller ; essay by Paula Scher. 2009
- A revolutionary of visual culture, Seymour Chwast is one of the most influential illustrators of the last half century. Filled with hundreds of his distinctive illustrations, Seymour is a career-spanning volume, sure to be an indispensable addition to the libraries of illustration buffs, pop-culture aficionados, and Chwast's die-hard fans. As co-founder of Push Pin Studios, Chwast has produced a body of illustrations humorous, ironic, political, and utterly unique that are as inspirational to designers and illustrators today as they were when they first came on the scene over sixty years ago. Seymour is a spectacular and extensive tribute to a monumental figure in American illustration. (Amazon)
Worldwide graphic design. Asia. - 2009
- This is a stunning visual showcase of the very best design trends and initiatives from Asia. "Worldwide Graphic Design" is a visually exciting series that showcases a wide cross-section of the freshest, most innovative, and often surprising new graphic design trends and ideas from around the world. From Israel at the west to Japan at the east, this new volume perfectly captures the enormous diversity of styles, scripts, forms, and visual languages to be found across Asia. (Amazon) NOTE: Also available is the Australia & New Zealand edition
200 projects to get you into fashion design- Tracy Fitzgerald and Adrian Grandon. 2009
- ... this heavily illustrated volume presents a comprehensive course in clothing design, which includes detailed instruction for creating a fashion portfolio that will get students started on rewarding careers. The book's 200 projects train aspiring fashion designers in - Researching for fresh ideas - Figure drawing with pencils, inks, markers, paints, collage, and more - Using different fabrics for garment designs - Applying details, such as collars, pockets, trims, and fastenings - Making skirts, dresses, and shirts, and customizing garments - Styling, choosing, and photographing a fashion model - Designing a promotional package and presenting finished work to buyers. The book's added features include: a resources section listing instructive Web sites, museums showing fashion and textile displays, and lists of important fashion journals that students should include as part of their regular reading and research. More than 350 color photos and drawings. (Amazon)
February 2010
New Art Books:
Ai Weiwei- survey by Karen Smith, interview by Hans Ulrich Obrist, focus by Bernard Fibicher. 2009
- Ai Weiwei (b. 1957) is truly an artist for the twenty-first century. In his sculptures, he refashions artefacts and antiques into surprising, sometimes monumental constructions such as "Template" (2007): hundreds of wooden doors and windows taken from demolished Ming and Qing dynasty temples and arranged into a massive outdoor sculpture.As much as these materials look to the past, they also speak of the present, because never before (and probably never again) have they been available in such abundance. Like his benches carved from centuries-old temple beams, "Template" is a sly commentary on the speed with which China's building boom is obliterating its past. (When Template collapsed in a rainstorm two weeks after its unveiling at Documenta 12, the artist embraced its demise as a clever artistic twist)... What truly marks out Ai as a twenty-first century artist is the multiplicity of his roles: not just artist, designer and architect but also curator, publisher, web blogger and compass for an entire generation of Beijing artists.He has been described more than once as the Chinese Warhol, overseeing a factory-like studio (Fake) with dozens of assistants engaged in countless projects in a range of disciplines. And indeed his outsize public persona is an inseparable part of his art. It should come as no surprise that when Herzog & de Meuron came to Beijing to conceive of a new stadium for the 2008 Olympics, Ai was the one who provided them with a design concept: an interlaced form based on the woven baskets his wife collects at local antique markets.At a time when the West is finally discovering Chinese contemporary art, Ai is one of the few to have transcended the label 'Chinese artist'... (Amazon)
Bauhaus women : art, handicraft, design - Ulrike Muller with the collaboration of Ingrid Radewaldt and Sandra Kemker. 2009
- This monograph - published to coincide with the Bauhaus exhibition at the MoMA (November 8, 2009-January 25, 2010) - celebrates the work of twenty women artists who created feverishly in all the teaching, workshop, and production branches of the Bauhaus - women who should have been included in the major art histories of the twentieth century long ago, but whose names, masterpieces, and extraordinary lives have only gradually become known to us. Recognized figures such as Anni Albers - the first textile artist to be exhibited at the MoMA - and Marianne Brandt - whose elegant geometric tableware have become classic Alessi designs - are showcased alongside previously unknown artists such as Gertrud Grunow, who taught "Harmonizing Science"; Helene Borner, who led the textile workshop; and Ilse Fehling, a sculptor and the most sought-after set and costume designer of her generation. Founded in 1919, the Bauhaus and most of its students were poor and lacking in just about everything. What it did have, however, was an abundance of enthusiasm, talent, and innovative creativity. Furthermore, over half of those seeking to enroll at the school were women. This tornado of the "fairer sex" was initially seen as a threat, and the weaving mill was quickly turned into a separate "women's facility." Nevertheless, over the years the mill became a hotbed of groundbreaking production, whose impact far surpassed national borders, as demonstrated by the international acclaim of photographers Lucia Moholy, Florence Henri, and Grete Stern. (Amazon)
George Tooker- Robert Cozzolino, Marshall N. Price, M. Melissa Wolfe. 2008
- One of America's pre-eminent painters, George Tooker (born 1920) is known for his haunting works that evoke the alienation and anonymity of urban life. Working in egg tempera, a Renaissance medium that produces a luminous quality yet requires meticulous application, Tooker first came to prominence as part of the post-war Magic Realist movement, creating surrealistic visions that captured the uncertainty of the Cold War era. Often compared with Hopper and Wyeth, Tooker continues to examine modern life with his disquieting imagery. This beautifully produced book, published to coincide with the first major retrospective in 30 years, features superb reproductions of Tooker's timeless paintings, and includes essays offering new perspectives on his passion for composition, his spirituality and his exploration of identity. [Amazon]
Inside the painter's studio- Joe Fig. 2009
- Inside the Painter's Studio collects twenty-four remarkable artist interviews, as well as exclusive visual documentation of their studios. Featured artists were asked a wide range of questions about their day-to-day creative life, covering everything from how they organize their studios to what painting tools they prefer. Artists open up about how they set a creative mood, how they choose titles, and even whether they sit or stand to contemplate their work. Also included are a selection of Fig's meticulously detailed miniatures. In this context Fig's diminutive sculptures reproducing minutiae of the studio, from paint-tube labels and paint splatters on the floor to the surface texture of canvases become part of a fascinating new form of portraiture as diorama. Inside the Painter's Studio offers a rare look into the self-made universe of the artist's studio. Inside the Painter's Studio features interviews with Gregory Amenoff, Ross Bleckner, Chuck Close, Will Cotton, Inka Essenhigh, Eric Fischl, Barnaby Furnas, April Gornik, Jane Hammond, Mary Heilmann, Bill Jensen, Ryan McGinness, Julie Mehretu, Malcolm Morley, Steve Mumford, Philip Pearlstein, Matthew Ritchie, Alexis Rockman, Dana Schutz, James Siena, Amy Sillman, Joan Snyder, Billy Sullivan, and Fred Tomaselli. (Amazon )
Lucian Freud on paper- editor, Mark Holborn. 2009
- Lucian Freud is widely regarded as one of the greatest living artists, and drawing is fundamental to his development as an artist and to how he sees. Speaking recently about his early years he claimed, "I would have thought I did 200 drawings to every painting in those early days. I very much prided myself on my drawing." Drawing became an important part of Freud's life from the start and a famous sketchbook, The Freud-Schuster Book, has survived dating back to January 1940, when Freud was in Snowdonia with Stephen Spender, as do sketches from Freud's life as a merchant seaman on a cargo vessel in the Atlantic in 1941. His then surreal style lent itself to illustrations and his fascination with animals, birds, and fish was revealed in the famous line drawings he produced for Nicholas Moore's book of poems, The Glass Tower (1944). This volume charts Freud's work on paper, including the etchings, over his entire career. It includes the formative early work, the sketches in preparation for painting his masterpiece, Large Interior W11 (after Watteau) (1983), the sketches of the completed painting in the studio and the astonishing later studies of his mother. The book ends with the etchings of recent years. The works on paper are an extraordinary achievement, providing even deeper insights into the work of perhaps the greatest figurative artist of our time. (Amazon)
Art that moves : the work of Len Lye - Roger Horrocks. 2009
- A companion to the author's bestselling biography of Len Lye, this compelling volume shifts the focus from Lye's life to his art practice and innovative aesthetic theories about "the art of motion," which continue to be relevant today. Going beyond a general introduction to Lye and his artistic importance, this in-depth book offers a detailed study of his aesthetics of motion, analyzing how these theories were embodied in his sculptures and films. Thoroughly researched and fully illustrated, this unique set also includes a DVD featuring Lye's films, kinetic sculptures, and interviews with the artist himself. (Amazon)
Good design : deconstructing form and function and what makes good design work- Matthew Porter. 2009
- Sean Adams. 2009 (Amazon)
- The author polls several designers of different age groups and phases in their careers about what they consider good design to be. Each has selected an existing design piece they feel to be good, based on their personal definition of what good is. The author also takes a critical look at the design to determine if it is effective with its target market and interviews the designer of the piece to unlock the concept behind the design. By taking this backwards approach through design from completed piece back to conception readers will discover why the design works and how they can use this information in their own projects.
Kodomo manga : super cute!- Kamikaze Factory Studio. 2009
- Discover step-by-step all the tricks - both freehand and digital - to get the best manga characters. Here is an amazing manual of manga for artists of all ages! Concentrating on Kodomo manga and Kodomo anime, Kodomo Manga is a practical, hands-on guide to learning the skills of Kodomo drawing. It includes detailed information on how to apply digital colour, 3D designs, vectorial drawing, and a host of other fascinating and useful design applications. And each project in Kodomo Manga includes step by step instructions specifying software, tools, and professional tricks to achieve the cutest and most captivating kawaii manga illustrations. Not just for kids, Kodomo Manga takes manga artists, illustrators, and graphic designers from initial black-and-white sketches to a vibrant, fully costumed collection of characters. (Amazon)
Agitate! educate! organize! : American labor posters- Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher. 2009
- In Agitate! Educate! Organize!, Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher share their vast knowledge about the rich graphic tradition of labor posters. Lavish full-color reproductions of more than 250 of the best posters that have emerged from the American labor movement ensure that readers will want to return again and again to this visually fascinating treasury of little-known images from the American past. Some of the posters were issued by government programs and campaigns; some were devised by unions as recruiting tools or strike announcements; others were generated by grassroots organizations focused on a particular issue or group of workers-all reveal much about the diverse experiences of working people in the United States. American labor posters are widely scattered, difficult to locate, and rarely archived. Cushing and Drescher examined several thousand such images in the course their research, guaranteeing a truly representative selection. The presentation of the posters is thematic, with a brief history of activist graphic media followed by chapters on Dignity and Exploitation; Health and Safety; Women; Race and Civil Rights; War, Peace and Internationalism; Solidarity and Organizing; Strikes and Boycotts; Democracy, Voting, and Patriotism; History, Heroes, and Martyrs; and Culture. Along with the stunning color images, the text contributes to a much deeper understanding of the politics, history, artistry, and impact of this genre of activist art and the importance of the labor movement in the transformation of American society over the course of the twentieth century. (Amazon)
Masters of design : corporate brochures : a collection of the most inspiring corporate communications designers in the world- Sean Adams. 2009
- Masters of Design: Corporate Brochures profiles 20 current design leaders. This book features the best corporate designers - those who create award-winning annual reports, internal communications, and corporate brochures. These are often the most challenging projects to design because of the sheer amount of information that is required as part of the assignment. Featured design firms include Cahan & Asssociates, VSA Partners, Blok Design, and 3 Deep Design. The principal creatives at these firms share their insight and experience on creating successful designs for major corporations. (Amazon)
Regular : graphic design today - edited by Robert Klanten, Sven Ehmann & Adeline Mollard. 2009
- Graphic design is in constant flux. In recent years, the digitalisation of media and the return of materials and personal identity have strongly influenced the development of graphic design and its adjoining disciplines. This evolution has prompted designers to define new rules and aesthetics paving the way for future media. Regular documents the current state of graphic design and presents a new generation of creative excellence. The book features examples of progressive manifestations in the printed form from poster design, book and magazine editorial design to typography. This expansive volume provides an in depth look at the state-of-the-art of contemporary graphic design. (Amazon)
Letterhead & logo design 11.- 2009
- This latest edition in the best-selling annual "Letterhead and Logo Design" series will feature the most innovative and exciting work in the field from well-known design leaders, new design firms, and cutting-edge artists. From logos to labels, business cards to envelopes, the creative techniques and full-color images portrayed in this broad range of work will inspire new design solutions for age-old challenges that beg for a fresh approach. (Amazon)
January 2010
New Art Books:
Ancient American art in detail- Colin McEwan. 2009
- This beautifully illustrated book offers a unique view of Ancient American art, featuring a rich array of stunning objects ranging from North America through Mexico to Central and South America. The most striking aspects of craftsmanship, materials and design are highlighted here in exquisite works of jade, turquoise, textiles, feather work, gold, wood, stone, ceramics and painted books, all drawn from the British Museum's outstanding collections. The book opens with an introduction asking "What is Ancient American art?", in which the author explores fundamental relationships among the diverse artistic traditions of the Americas. He then examines each work in close-up detail, leading to intriguing comparisons between objects across a range of cultures and media. At every turn these masterpieces evoke the skilled hands and practised eye of the most accomplished Ancient American craftsmen over thousands of years. This book makes an ideal introduction or companion to a museum or gallery visit and provides endless creative inspiration for all the visual arts. (Amazon)
Contemporary African art since 1980- Okwui Enwezor, Chika Okeke-Agulu. 2009
- Contemporary African Art Since 1980 is the first major survey of the work of contemporary African artists from diverse situations, locations, and generations who work either in or outside of Africa, but whose practices engage and occupy the social and cultural complexities of the continent since the past 30 years. Its frame of analysis is absorbed with historical transitions: from the end of the postcolonial utopias of the sixties during the 1980s to the geopolitical, economic, technological, and cultural shifts incited by globalization. This book is both narrower in focus in the periods it reflects on, and specific in the ground it covers. It begins by addressing the tumultuous landscape of contemporary Africa, examining landmarks and narratives, exploring divergent systems of representation, and interrogating the ways artists have responded to change and have incorporated new aesthetic principles and artistic concepts, images and imaginaries to deal with such changes. Organized in chronological order, the book covers all major artistic mediums: painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, installation, drawing, collage. It also covers aesthetic forms and genres, from conceptual to formalist, abstract to figurative practices. Moving between discursive and theoretical registers, the principal questions the book analyzes are: what and when is contemporary African art? Who might be included in the framing of such a conceptual identity? It also addresses the question of globalization and contemporary African art. (Amazon)
The contemporary art book : the essential guide to 200 of the world's most widely exhibited artists - Charlotte Bonham-Carter, David Hodge. 2009
- Without doubt, the international contemporary art stage increases annually, drawing new crowds and new interest. Whilst enticing, contemporary art can be bewildering. This accessible and beautifully produced guide will pinpoint key artists and events, and so help demystify a generation of rapid change in the art world. The A-Z listing (by artist's name) will feature 200 of the most widely exhibited and remarkable artists who have made substantial contributions over the past 40 years; with biographies, insights into their key works and cross-referencing to linked artists, themes and movements. This essential directory will clarify new art developments for a wide audience and highlight international venues and events to visit. The comparative titles include: "Art Now" by Taschen with smaller format, and directory of cutting-edge artists, which doesn't include the progenitors of contemporary art; "20th Century Art Book" by Phaidon Press, stops at year 2000; and, "Cream and Ice Cream" from Phaidon Press with cutting-edge new artists for a niche audience. (Amazon)
A face to the world : on self-portraits- Laura Cumming. 2009
- Focusing on the art of self-portraiture, this effortlessly engaging exploration of the lives of artists sheds fascinating light on some of the most extraordinary portraits in art history. Self-portraits catch your eye. They seem to do it deliberately. Walk into any art gallery and they draw attention to themselves. Come across them in the world's museums and you get a strange shock of recognition, rather like glimpsing your own reflection. For in picturing themselves artists reveal something far deeper than their own physical looks: the truth about how they hope to be viewed by the world, and how they wish to see themselves. In this beautifully written and lavishly illustrated book, Laura Cumming, art critic of the Observer, investigates the drama of the self-portrait, from Durer, Rembrandt and Velazquez to Munch, Picasso, Warhol and the present day. She considers how and why self-portraits look as they do and what they reveal about the artist's innermost sense of self -- as well as the curious ways in which they may imitate our behaviour in real life. Drawing on art, literature, history, philosophy and biography to examine the creative process in an entirely fresh way, Cumming offers a riveting insight into the intimate truths and elaborate fictions of self-portraiture and the lives of those who practise it. A work of remarkable depth, scope and power, this is a book for anyone who has ever wondered about the strange dichotomy between the innermost self and the self we choose to present for posterity -- our face to the world. [Amazon]
John Piper, Myfanwy Piper : lives in art- Frances Spalding. 2009
- Art historian Frances Spalding here provides an exuberant and richly illustrated dual biography of John Piper--one of the best loved and capacious English artists--and his wife the librettist Myfanwy Piper, collaborator with Benjamin Britten. Together they stood at the heart of the English cultural landscape of the mid-20th century. Drawing on substantial original research, including many interviews with those who had either known or worked with the Pipers, Spalding's biography sheds new light on the story of British art in the 1930s. In the middle of this decade, the Pipers were at the forefront of avant-garde activities in England, with Myfanwy editing the most advanced art magazine of the day and John working alongside Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and others. The book contains 80 color and 80 black-and-white plates, and also presents a wealth of information on the major commissions of John Piper's lengthy career as well as his work in print-making, stained glass, illustration, theatre design, and fireworks. And it illuminates Myfanwy Piper's collaborations with the composers Benjamin Britten and Alun Hoddinott, and her role as Betjeman's muse. (Amazon )
Magritte : attempting the impossible- Siegfried Gohr. 2009
- The ongoing relevance of Belgian painter Rene Magritte may lie in the semiotic character of his work and its ability to create chasms between the world, its surfaces and the signs we use to occupy it. Magritte's paintings offer a space for the viewer to contemplate the emptiness of signs and to locate that emptiness in a world we recognize--indeed, the artist relies on the props of normalcy in order to upend, invert and collapse them into the terra incognita where life leaves off and art begins. "The mind loves the unknown," he avowed, "it loves images whose meaning is unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown." In Attempting the Impossible we have a new definitive Magritte monograph, replacing David Sylvester's volume of the early 1990s. Featuring more than 300 works, it contains much unpublished material and includes chapters covering Magritte's photography, drawings and influence on German and American contemporary art. Each chapter opens with a close reading of a key work--such as "The Treachery of Images" ("This is not a pipe") of 1928-29--and a reconstruction of its intellectual and historical contexts. Art historian Siegfried Gohr examines Magritte's marriage and friendships, the phases of his work (from his sunlit Renoir period and his "periode vache" to his bright and visually arresting postwar work, which had such an influence on the advertising industry), the Belgian roots of his wit and sensibility and his word paintings and investigations into the paradoxes of representation. (Amazon)
Revolution on paper : Mexican prints 1910-1960- Dawn Ades and Alison McClean with the assistance of Laura Campbell ; edited by Mark McDonald. 2009
- Between 1910 and 1920, Mexico was convulsed by socialist revolution, from which emerged a strong left-wing government that laid great stress on art as a vehicle for promoting revolutionary values. This led to a pioneering programme to cover the walls of public buildings with vast murals and, later, to setting up print workshops to produce works for mass distribution and education. This book is published to accompany the first ever exhibition on this period to be held in Europe, on view at the British Museum from 27 October 28 February 2010. It will feature approximately 130 prints by over 40 artists, including the three great men of Mexican art of the period: Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. In this title, a fascinating range of material includes not only single-sheet artists prints but also large posters with designs in woodcut or lithography, as well as illustrated books on many different themes. Also included are earlier works by the popular engraver Jose Guadalupe Posada, adopted by the revolutionaries as the archetypal printmaker working for the people, and whose macabre dances of skeletons have always fascinated Europeans. Essays by Alison McClean and Dawn Ades will set Mexican printmaking in its artistic and political context. The book will also contain concise biographies of all the artists featured. (Amazon)
The invention of New Zealand : art & national identity, 1930-1970- Francis Pound. 2009
- Engagingly written by one of New Zealand's most brilliant and original art historians, this study of 20th-century New Zealand art helps define a national identity within the cultural context of art and literature. The essence of New Zealand and the invention of a specifically New Zealand high culture is presented and celebrated in this beautifully illustrated volume. (Amazon)
Yayoi Kusama
Dirty fingernails : a one-of-a-kind collection of graphics uniquely designed by hand
Handmade graphics- Anna Wray. 2009
- Get back to basics with Handmade Graphics, which will reinvigorate every graphic designers image-making process. Reawaken your dormant art student, step away from that computer, get your hands dirty, and start to play! From pencils to computers, from scissors to paper, from stencils to printers, a vast array of mark-making tools are investigated and manipulated, illustrated with examples and exercises that stretch the limits of conventional usability, reinvent traditional, hand-making methods, and break all the rules along the way. (Amazon)
The big book of contemporary illustration- Martin Dawber. 2009
- This large format 400 page book is perfect for anyone interested in illustration. Over 1000 illustrations show the best in all fields of the subject from 400 illustrators all over the world. The categories include graphic design, fashion, pop, manga and fantasy art. They include traditionally produced work as well as digital. (Amazon)
The big book of bags, tags and labels- Cristian Campos. 2009
- Bag, tag, and label design is critical in the world of marketing and sales, yet can be challenging to execute successfully. The Big Book of Bags, Tags and Labels is a unique visual collection featuring work from top companies around the globe. It offers hundreds of ideas, pages of inspiration, and loads of professional advice from designers on styles ranging from classic to modern, sophisticated to conceptual, with a consistent focus on name recognition and branding. (Amazon)
1000+ more graphic elements : unique elements for distinctive designs. Volume II - Andy Schmidt. 2009
- 1000+ More Graphic Elements is the follow-up to the extremely successful 1000 Graphic Elements, published in 2004. This edition features 1000 new unique graphic embellishments across all kinds of projects, from books to brochures, invitations to calendars to annual reports. It is often the smallest detail that can turn a project from ordinary to spectacular. Inspiration will be at your fingertips with examples of specialty processes such as diecutting and embossing, unique materials, fasteners, specialty inks, binders and more. (Amazon)
December 09
New Art Books:
Andy Warhol- Arthur C. Danto. 2009
- This penetrating new entry in Yale's Icons of America series synthesizes biography, cultural criticism and aesthetics. Former Nation art critic and Columbia philosophy professor emeritus Danto (After the End of Art) argues that Andy Warhol radically redefined the question of art. His Brillo Boxes and Campbell's Soup Cans challenged the viewer to ask, What is the difference between two things, exactly alike, one of which is art and one of which is not? Danto, whose visit to a Warhol show in 1964 inspired him to become a philosopher of art, views many of Warhol's most important works as answers to such philosophical puzzles. Danto's writing is elegant and his insights acute: the Marilyn Diptych's transformative repetition is linked to Coltrane's compositions; Warhol's final Last Supper series represented, Danto argues convincingly in a profound final chapter, the culmination of the artist's mission to externalize the interiority of our shared world. This valuable work of critical cultural analysis reveals aspects of Warhol so far uncovered and unexplored that will appeal widely to the interested generalist as well as to scholars of contemporary art, American culture and aesthetics. (Amazon - Publisher's weekly review)
Arshile Gorky : a retrospective- edited by Michael R. Taylor ; essays by Harry Cooper ... and others ; chronology by Melissa Kerr. 2009
- Arshile Gorky (c. 1904-1948) was one of the central figures in American art's shift toward abstraction during the first half of the 20th century. Accompanying the first major retrospective of his work in almost thirty years, this stunning book traces the evolution of Gorky's arresting visual style. Nearly 200 paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints from all phases of his career, a number of which are published here for the first time, are beautifully reproduced, including a large figurative painting from 1927 known previously only through its preparatory studies. Throughout the volume, some of Gorky's best-known and most powerful works are paired with related pieces or with meticulous preliminary studies, shedding new light on his artistic process. Illustrated essays incorporating recently discovered biographical information and photographs examine his experience of the Armenian genocide (during which he witnessed the death of his mother), his collaboration with the Works Progress Administration, and his early explorations of abstraction and Surrealism, providing important reassessments of his life and career. Admired by many of his contemporaries and hugely influential on subsequent generations of artists, Gorky created a complex and deeply moving body of work that encompasses styles ranging from Impressionism to Cubism, Surrealism, and the beginnings of Abstract Expressionism.
Chalo! India : a new era of Indian art- 2009.
- This book explores the contemporary art of India in a volume as colorful, vibrant, and diverse as the country itself. Chalo means 'Let's go!' in Hindi and the enthusiasm of that expression is evident throughout the pages of this catalogue for an exhibition at the Essl Museum in Austria. Encompassing a broad range of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, and installation, the book features more than one hundred works by artists and collectives from all over India. Themes of identity, urbanization, spirituality, and politics reflect the country's recent transformation into a global power. Accompanying the reproductions are essays that explore the impact of the economic and cultural revolution on India and focus on the modern art of specific geographic regions throughout the country. Looking beyond the popular Bollywood-influenced images of twenty-first-century India, this important volume reveals the complex artistic practices taking place throughout the country. (Amazon )
Grayson Perry- Jacky Klein. 2009.
- A major new monograph on the work of celebrated and controversial British artist Grayson Perry. Grayson Perry, famous for his ceramic vases decorated with shocking and unconventional imagery, is one of a generation of contemporary British artists to have emerged on the international stage in the last two decades. He rose to fame in 2003 when he won the prestigious Turner Prize and collected the award wearing a lilac babydoll dress and red pumps. His hard-hitting yet exquisite work, which includes prints, embroidery, sculpture, drawings, and ceramics, references his own upbringing and his life as a transvestite as well as engaging with broader issues such as war, religion, and sex. This lavishly illustrated monograph explores Perry's work through a discussion of his major themes and subjects, and the text is complemented by a series of intimate, insightful commentaries on individual pieces by the artist himself. The book features some 150 of Perry's works as well as a rich selection of the visual material that has inspired him, from Afghan war rugs, medieval altarpieces, and satirical prints to the paintings of Pieter Brueghel, Anselm Kiefer, and the American Outsider artist Henry Darger. With an up-to-date biography, bibliography, and exhibition history, this definitive book is the first to explore fully the achievements of Perry's twenty-five-year career. (Amazon)
Life and death in Picasso : still life/figure, c. 1907-1933- Christopher Green ; with an essay by J.F. Yvars. 2009.
- A groundbreaking and richly illustrated study of the leading artist of the twentieth century. In this original and innovative book, Christopher Green explores how Pablo Picasso, through the manipulation of pictorial signs, explored ideas about the living and the dead. Oscillating between the animate and the inanimate, Picasso created objects that live, and figures that are as dead as objects. Covering the period from the creation of the Demoiselles d'Avignon in 1907 to the artist's association with the Surrealists in the early 1930s, the book offers a journey through Picasso's imagination and reveals - by way of Apollinaire, Breton, and Freud, among others - the ideas and reflections associated with life and death in his work. Published in association with the Museu Picasso in Barcelona, the book also includes an essay on Picasso's biomorphic motifs by the leading Spanish critic J. F. Yvars. (Amazon)
100 contemporary artists- edited by Hans Werner Holzwarth. 2 vols. 2009.
- This special two-volume edition compiles the 100 most exciting artists from the seminal TASCHEN title Art at the Turn of the Millenium as well as the renowned Art Now series, condensing them to a comprehensive compendium of contemporary art at the beginning of the 21st century. Our selection features a wide variety of works by pioneering artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Marlene Dumas, Damien Hirst, Mike Kelley, Jeff Koons, Albert Oehlen, Richard Prince, Charles Ray, Cindy Sherman, and Christopher Wool alongside outstanding artists of a younger generation like Glenn Brown, Natalie Djurberg, Tom Friedman, Mark Grotjahn, or Terence Koh. (Amazon)
Yayoi Kusama
Calligraphy : a book of contemporary inspiration - Denise Lach. 2009
- Calligraphy can be a very personal pathway to explore a multiplicity of design concepts. In this striking and original book, images of the natural world are turned into a rich source of inspiration for a variety of calligraphy projects. Renowned calligrapher Denise Lach invites us to look closely at details and textures, expanding our powers of observation and finding creative ideas in the world around us. (Amazon) )
Color harmony compendium : a complete color reference for designers of
all types- Terry Marks and others. (includes CD-ROM). 2009
- A selection of content from the entire Color Harmony library offers readers the most comprehensive reference book on the usage of color available today. Included are swatches and material for designers and all types of artists looking for inspiration and guidance to ensure the right color choices for every project. (Amazon)
Design for taste: graphics and interiors for cafes, bars and restaurants- Gingko Press. 2009
- Although food is the most important ingredient to the success of cafes and restaurants, the graphics is also a tremendous help to drawing a crowd. This is why the dining industry spends big bucks on upping the ante of the graphics, in addition to hiring the best chefs around. (Global Books in Print)
Face fashion : a guide to drawing the fashion face- Nancy Riegelman. 2009
- Face Fashion teaches how to draw, quickly and easily, the face as it appears in fashion drawing an elegant and beautifully stylized face that complements and illuminates the accompanying garments. A comprehensive, highly effective, results-oriented guide, Face Fashion employs a similar foundation technique to that used in Riegelman's 9 Heads where the shapes, positions and proportions of the faces component parts are understood through direct measurement and comparisons. (Amazon)
The insider's guide to creating comics and graphic novels - Andy Schmidt. 2009
- In this unprecedented, behind-the-scenes guide, former Marvel editor and current IDW senior editor Andy Schmidt and his superstar industry friends give you the inside track on creating engaging, professional-looking comic books. Written for upcoming creative stars and comic book enthusiasts, The Insider's Guide to Comics and Graphic Novels covers the entire creative process from beginning to end, from fine-tuning a script to the nuances of camera angles, costume design and lettering. You'll learn not only how to emulate a camera pan, hit `em with a splash page and shift into slow motion, but also WHEN and WHY to dip into that bag of graphic tricks for maximum impact. (Amazon)
The Pattern sourcebook : a century of surface design- Drusilla Cole. (includes CD-ROM). 2009
- The book is aimed at anyone with an interest in surface design and pattern whether they are students, hobbyists or professionals. 400 images from the last 100 years or so are presented with informative captions and ordered aesthetically. The images will be drawn from a wide variety of styles, art movements and countries of origin to give an overview of pattern design from the beginning of the last century to the present day. Images include fabric designs and wallpaper patterns primarily, plus some ceramic and other decorative patterns where appropriate. (Amazon)
November 09
New Art Books:
Charley Harper : an illustrated life- Todd Oldham. 2009
- Charley Harper was an American original. For over six decades he painted colorful and graphic illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike, from his home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio until he passed away in 2007 at the age of 84. Renowned New York based designer Todd Oldham rediscovered Charley's work in 2001, and collaborated closely with him in the ensuing years; combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning monograph. This coffee table tome is a ... beautiful tribute to Charley Harper's singular style, which he referred to as Minimal Realism (Amazon)
Dick Frizzell : the painter- foreword by Hamish Keith. 2009
- Dick Frizzell's images populate our world - you find them on t-shirts, on TV ads, in shop windows, on wine bottles, on cushions and t-towels, and in art shows. People appropriate (or borrow) his images in much the same way that he too appropriated many of the images he has painted over the years. He's reached iconic status in NZ - we love him, he's one of our own ... Dick Frizzell: The Painter contains all of his major paintings, the story of his life in his own thoughtful and highly articulate words, and an essay by Hamish Keith on Dick's work and its place in the New Zealand art world. (Random House website)
Len Lye- edited by Taylor Cann & Wystan Curnow. 2009
- Len Lye (1901 - 1980) is one of New Zealand's most celebrated, influential and inspirational artists who continues to be recognised internationally as a pioneer film maker, kinetic sculptor, poet, writer and painter. The world centre for Len Lye is the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery where his collection is housed on behalf of the Len Lye Foundation. (Random House website)
Marlene Dumas - Dominic van den Boogerd and others. 2nd edition, 2008.
- Marlene Dumas, a South Africa-born, Amsterdam-based painter, is one of the world's most admired artists, a titan of contemporary painting. Her work recalls the painterly gestures of Expressionism while combining the critical distance of conceptual art with the pleasures of eroticism. Through her delicately painted oil-on-canvas or ink-and-watercolor depictions of the female form as well as portraits of children and erotic scenes, she makes a commentary on the state of painting today. What does it mean to be a woman working within the predominantly male genre of expressionist painting? The artist often depicts women: their expressions, their bodies, their facial typologies, their self-image, and their ideals. The relationship between art and female beauty or between art-historical models an twentieth-century supermodels are constant themes in Dumas' work. She does not paint from life but deliberately chooses 'stock' images from a variety of sources, from magazine cuttings to picture postcards to Old Master paintings, as observed through her contemporary perspective. Since the late 1970s she has exhibited internationally, with solo exhibitions at the Tate Gallery, London (1996), the Museum fur Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt (1998), the Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Antwerp (1999), and Centre Pompidou, Paris (2002). Her work has been shown in some of the world's top international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (1995 and 2005) (Amazon )
Russell Drysdale- Lou Klepac. Revised edition, 2009.
- This edition of Russell Drysdale has been fully revised to integrate the paintings into the body of the text and includes a new introduction by author Lou Klepac, written to put Drysdale's iconic paintings into a contemporary context. This book traces the career of the unusual and remarkably gifted Drysdale, discussing both the sources of his inspiration and the scope of his achievement. It features more than 150 colour plates that illustrate the work of this popular and significant Australian artist. (Amazon)
Atlas of graphic designers- Maia Francisco. 2009
- This comprehensive collection illustrates the world of graphic design country by country, featuring the best graphic designers from all over the world. An amazing reference, this book provides insight into how designers from varied backgrounds approach their work, how different cultures associate communication and creativity in different ways, and how we see this reality used, pushed to its limits, and even completely transformed by design. No matter where you are from, this book will leave you with a broadened awareness of your own visual taste and an in-depth, contextual understanding of graphic design worldwide. (Amazon) )
Born in the streets : graffiti- 2009
- A survey of the artists who contributed to the origins and spread of the graffiti movement worldwide, published to accompany an exhibition at the Fondation Cartier in Paris. Beginning in July 2009, the Fondation Cartier will be hosting an exhibition that celebrates street art. The show and the accompanying catalogue first reexamine the birth and evolution of the graffiti movement in New York in the early 1970s, and feature documentation from that time, including press clips and photographs of tags and graffiti by artists such as Lee, Seen, and Lady Pink, among others. The book then explores the explosion of creativity worldwide that followed the New York movement, especially in Paris, which became the nerve center for European graffiti in the 1980s. It juxtaposes the different aesthetics of cities like New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Sao Paulo, highlighting styles specific to each city and the diverse practices of contemporary artists who began in the graffiti movement. There are interviews with artists who influenced the development of street art and with others, such as gallery owners, who were involved in its evolution. 460 in color and black & white (mainly color). (Amazon)
Drawing life- Mariscal. 2009
- Javier Mariscal is a prolific illustrator and designer. His energetic career began in Spain during the 1970s and he continues to work on a large number of projects with his team at Estudio Mariscal. Mariscal's designs and artwork encompass a wide range of mediums, he is celebrated for his comic strips, graphic design work, furniture designs, painting, animation, interior design, illustration and work with brand and logos. Across these disciplines, Mariscal's bold and inquisitive imagination, his sense of humour and fun, and his enormous appetite for life contribute to a unique and characteristic style. Mariscal's first published works followed his move from his hometown of Valencia to Barcelona to study Graphic Design. These included the radical underground comic El Rrollo Enmascarado, produced with a group of friends in 1973. The comic had such an immediate and large impact that it was closed down by government order after only two months. In 1979 Mariscal created his famed 'BAR CEL ONA' logo. Combining graphic design and typography into a welcoming symbol that encapsulated the confidence of the city as it emerged from the constraints of Franco's rule, the logo also established Mariscal as an internationally recognised designer... Designed, written and illustrated entirely by Javier Mariscal, [this book] details the varied works of Mariscal and his studio, as well as featuring entirely new artwork produced for the book. (Amazon)
Edgycute : from neo-pop to low brow and back again- by Harry Saylor with Carolyn Frisch. 2009
- IThe resurgence in the popularity of illustrative art can be attributed to an array of factors. Although the acceptance of graphic novels as something more than just comic books has been established for quite some time, when McSweeneys released its all-comics issue in 2004, the mainstream medias reaction elevated the medium, its words and images, to something beyond genre. As a result, such drawings and illustrations have found their ways into marketing campaigns, ads and galleries. While the work of individual artists varies greatly, much of it strikes an irresistible pose, whether viewers are staring at enlarged heads on distorted bodies or a shot-dead bird, its killer and a birdhouse both crying. The work is at once disturbing but oddly attractive. Here at MBP we have dubbed this quality EdgyCute. For more than a decade, Harry Saylor, owner of Orbit Gallery, has been an advocate of art ranging from Neo-Pop to Low Brow, having represented the likes of Gary Baseman, Kathie Olivas, Travis Lampe, Angelique Hautkamp and Michael Caines. With EdgyCute: From Neo-Pop to Low Brow and Back Again, Saylor utilizes his vast expertise in the field to compile a contemporary look at practitioners of this aesthetic, from the famous to the unknown. With more than 100 examples of this work, many of which have been commissioned for this book, and artist interviews, EdgyCute is sure to appeal to anyone with an interest in bleeding-edge illustration. (Amazon)
Mute magazine graphic design- Pauline van Mourik Broekman, Simon Worthington, Damian Jaques. 2008
- Tracing the roots and evolving design of cult magazine Mute, it tells you everything you need to know about current trends in graphic design. Given that award-winning British writers like Hari Kunzru and James Flint cut their teeth on the magazine and it's influenced many others since, it's worth knowing having a look. (Amazon)
October 09
New Art Books:
Hell bound : new gothic art- Francesca Gavin. 2009
- The first book to focus on new gothic art Hell Bound highlights a new generation of contemporary artists who are increasingly obsessed with the darker things in life. Illustrators, street artists, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers, installation artists, and painters are all reflecting this renewed interest in gothic imagery. Horror has become a more accepted part of everyday life - and art as always is a reflection of life. Here death metal, the war on terror, and throwaway pop culture meet feeding the popular fascination for all things gothic. Among the art featured is the iconoclastic work of Ken Kagami, Terence Koh, Ricky Swallow, the photographic collages of Marnie Weber, the drawings of Chloe Piene and Wes Lang, the paintings of Matt Greene and Iris Van Dongen, the outsider punk art of Pure Evil ,and the illustrations of French. (Amazon)
Japanese art and design- editor, Joe Earle ; texts, Joe Earle and others. Updated edition, 2009
- An overview of Japanese art from the last four centuries, this newly updated edition is an indispensable survey of the V&A's greatest treasures from the Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art. The Museum's superb Japanese holdings, acquired over a period of 150 years, begin with the international exhibitions of the second half of the 19th century and continue to the present day. Among its treasures are exciting contemporary works by leading artists as well as historical masterpieces. Brilliantly illustrated, this book is an unrivalled panorama of Japan's achievements in art and design from the earliest times, showcasing netsuke, ceramics, lacquerware, textiles and dress, woodblock prints, armor, and metalwork. (Amazon )
Paul Thek : artist's artist- edited by Harald Falckenberg, Peter Weibel. 2008
- Paul Thek occupied a place between high art and low art, between the epic and the everyday. During his brief life (1933-1988), he went against the grain of art world trends, humanizing the institutional spaces of art with the force of his humor, spirituality, and character. Twenty years after Thek's death from AIDS, we can now recognize his influence on contemporary artists ranging from Vito Acconci and Bruce Nauman to Matthew Barney, Mike Kelley, and Paul McCarthy, as well as Kai Althoff, Jonathan Meese, and Thomas Hirschhorn. This book brings together more than 300 of Thek's works - many of which are published here for the first time - to offer the most comprehensive display of his work yet seen. The book, which accompanies an exhibition at ZKM/Museum of Contemporary Art presenting Thek's work in dialogue with contemporary art by young artists, includes painting, sculpture, drawing, and installation work, as well as photographs documenting the room-size environments into which Thek incorporated elements from art, literature, theater, and religion. (Amazon)
Posters for the people : art of the WPA - by Ennis Carter. 2008
- This lavish coffee-table book highlights 500 of the best posters produced by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during America's 1930s and 1940s. The WPA employed hundreds of out-of-work artists to raise awareness about public issues and civic life in the United States. These posters provide a snapshot of life (and graphic design) during the Great Depression and offer timeless messages about the merits of hard work, good parenting, a clean house, and healthy personal hygiene. "Posters for the People" includes many 'new' images never before published in book form. Full of beautifully reproduced images and fascinating text about a decisive moment in American history, "Posters for the People" is essential reading for artists, designers, collectors of Americana, and anyone interested in U.S. history. (Amazon )
Younger than Jesus artist directory : the essential handbook to a new
generation of artists.- 2009
- "Younger than Jesus: The Artists Directory" is the product of some of the most wide-ranging research in the field of contemporary art in years: the first 'Younger than Jesus' triennial at the New Museum. Working with a team of 200 'insiders' (curators, writers, teachers, critics, bloggers and artists) scattered across the globe, curators Massimiliano Gioni , Lauren Cornell and Laura Hoptman have selected the 500 best international artists under the age of 33, from which they will curate the exhibition component of the triennial in spring 2009. While most generational exhibitions are retrospective, this one will be predictive, anticipating the future and revealing upcoming trends. "Younger than Jesus: The Artists Directory" will therefore be an unparalleled resource for curators, collectors, dealers and critics. By serving as a handbook to currrent artistic innovation, it will also appeal to artists, designers and anyone curious about the latest developments in visual culture. (Amazon)
Vermeer and his world, 1632-1675
Art Direction Explained, at last!- Steven Heller
- This book is a highly informative, highly entertaining introduction to what art direction is and what art directors do. Written by two of the world's leading experts on the subject, it covers the role of art director in numerous environments, including magazines and newspapers, advertising, corporate identity, museums, and publishing (Amazon) )
Drawing for Interior Design- Drew Plunkett
- This book covers all stages of visual presentation as part of the interior design process, from early concept sketches and more evolved technical drawings to complex computer renderings, models for client presentation, and production drawings for contractors. Step-by-step sequences and special tips show students how to make the most of the available media, while practical advice on everything from communicating with clients and contractors to the legal implications of production drawings are covered (Amazon)
Juxtapoz car culture- Juxtapoz magazine
- Juxtapoz Car Culture provides the unique opportunity to fill your imaginary tank and zoom into a segment of the real world populated by those totally devoted to car culture. Packed with meaty profiles on featured artists together with cartoonists, stripers, painters and photographers working in the field, this book is indeed one of a kind (Amazon)
Logo Design, Vol. 2- editor, Julius Wiedemann
- In this follow-up to our immensely successful first volume, you ll find over 2000 logos as well as special case study features on brand identities such as MTV, CCTV, and the Metropolitan Museum s Berlin branch (Amazon)
Printmaking : a complete guide to materials and processes- Beth Grabowski
- Printmaking is a comprehensive and up to date introduction to fundamental printmaking techniques including relief, intaglio, collagraph, lithography, screen print and monoprint. It shows how some of the latest and most experimental prints have been made using these techniques (Amazon)
What is Illustration?- Lawrence Zeegen
- This new title in the highly successful Essential Design Handbooks series sets out to explain the underlying principles of illustration, as a means of visual expression, as a highly competitive industry, and as a contemporary, innovative practice. What is Illustration? is a must-have guide for illustration practitioners and students, as well as graphic designers and other media professionals who require an understanding of the issues and principles surrounding contemporary illustration (Amazon)
September 09
New Art Books:
Chalo! India : a new era in Indian art- Essel, Karlheinz. 2009
- "Chalo means "Let's go!" in Hindi and the enthusiasm of that expression is evident throughout the pages of this catalogue for an exhibition at the Essl Museum in Austria. Encompassing a broad range of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, and installation, the book features more than one hundred works by artists and collectives from all over India." (Product description, Global books in print)
Exactitude : hyperrealist art today- Taylor, John Russell. 2009
- "This astonishing book presents a selection of contemporary artists working in a figurative, hyperrealist style. It includes work ranging from still lifes and extreme closeups to large scale cityscapes and landscape painting, and features an enormous range of artists from around the world, all of whom work in a meticulous fashion and for whom the brushstroke is subservient to the image itself. This breathtaking, large format volume will be essential reading for anyone interested in art in the 21st century." (Product description, Amazon UK)
Georgia O'Keefe : abstraction- edited by Barbara Haskell. 2009
- "Although Georgia O'Keeffe (1887�1986) has long been regarded as a central figure in 20th-century art, the abstract works she created throughout her career have remained critically and popularly overlooked in favor of her representational subjects. Beginning with charcoal drawings made in 1915, which were among the most radical creations produced in the United States at that time, O'Keeffe sought to transcribe pure emotion in her work." (Amazon US)
Henry Darger- Biesenbach, Klaus. 2009
- "This large-format, lavishly illustrated volume presents the iconic American outsider artist in a new critical light, locating him for the first time as a major figure in the history of contemporary art." (Amazon US)
Titian : the last days- Mark Hudson. 2009
- Towards the end of his life Titian didn't finish his paintings. The elderly artist kept them in his studio, never quite completing them, as though wanting to endlessly postpone the moment of closure. Created with the fingers as much as the brush, Titian's last paintings are imbued with a sense of final, desperate effort - a rawness and immediacy that weren't to be seen again in art for centuries. But what did Titian, who experienced as much in the way of material success as any artist before or since, mean by these works? Are they a harrowing, final testament or simply a collection of unfinished paintings? In the outbreak of plague that finally killed him, Titian's studio was looted, and many paintings taken. What happened to them is not known. This book is a quest - a journey through Titian's life and work, towards the physical and spiritual landscape of his last paintings. Looking at Titian's relationships with his artistic rivals, his patrons - including popes, kings and emperors - and his troubled dealings with his own family, the narrative moves from the artist's hometown in the Dolomites to the greatest churches and palaces of the age. Parallel with these physical travels is a journey through the paintings, following the glittering trajectory of Titian's life and career, the remorseless formal development that led to the breakthroughs of his last days. Titian: The Last Days is an exploratory history of the artist and his world that vividly recreates the atmosphere of sixteenth-century Venice and Europe, a narrative in which the search for the subject becomes part of the subject itself. The result is a brilliant and compelling study of one of Europe's greatest artists that is at once passionate, engaging and deeply personal. (Amazon)
Art:21 : art in the 21st century. Seasons:-
three &
four (DVDs) - we also have seasons
1&2!
Art for Obama : designing manifest hope and the campaign for change- Fairey, Shephard. 2009
- "Few events in recent memory have captivated the world's attention like that of Barack Obama's historic presidential campaign. Not only did it stir passionate political momentum, but it also inspired the creative talents of a world of artists, illustrators, and graphic designers. Shepard Fairey's iconic Hope portrait became the face of the campaign and, more than ever before, innovative graphic design became a central strategy for winning the race." (Amazon US) )
Printmaking + mixed media : simple techniques and projects for paper and fabric- Elisha, Dorit. 2009
- "Learn simple printmaking techniques and how to incorporate printed images into mixed-media artwork on paper and fabric with, a twist on traditional methods. No printing presses or special papers are required with this creative approach. From screen printing, collagraph, monoprinting, and sun printing, these techniques are especially affordable and accessible to any artist, from beginner to experienced." (Amazon UK)
Born on the streets : graffiti - Chandes, Herve. 2009
- "The book then explores the explosion of creativity worldwide that followed the New York movement, especially in Paris, which became the nerve center for European graffiti in the 1980s. It juxtaposes the different aesthetics of cities like New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Sao Paulo, highlighting styles specific to each city and the diverse practices of contemporary artists who began in the graffiti movement. There are interviews with artists who influenced the development of street art and with others, such as gallery owners, who were involved in its evolution." (Amazon US)
The art of Osamu Tezuka : god of manga- McCarthy, Helen. 2009
- "The Art of Osamu Tezuka is the first authorized biography celebrating his work and life and featuring over 300 images - many of which have never been seen outside of Japan. With text by respected manga expert Helen McCarthy, The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga pays tribute to the work of an artist, writer, animator, doctor, entrepreneur, and traveler whose curious mind spawned dozens of animated films, and over 170,000 pages of comics art in one astonishingly creative lifetime." (Amazon US)
August 09
New Art Books:
Art and spiritual transformation : the seven stages of death and
rebirth- Finley Eversole. 2009
- Art and Spiritual Transformation presents a seven-stage journey from the darkened soul to the light of spiritual illumination that is possible through the world of art. Finley Eversole introduces a meditation practice that moves beyond the visual content of an art form in order to connect with its embedded spiritual energy, allowing the viewer to tap in to the deeper consciousness inherent in the artwork and awaken dormant powers in the depths of the viewer's soul. Examining modern and postmodern artwork from 1945 onward, Eversole reveals the influences of ancient Egypt, India, China, and alchemy on this art. He draws extensively on philosophy, myth and symbolism, literature, and metaphysics to explain the seven stages of spiritual death and rebirth of the soul possible through art: the experience of self-loss, the journey into the underworld, the experience of the dark night of the soul, the conflict with and triumph over evil, the awakening of new life in the depths of being, and the return and reintegration of consciousness on a higher plane of being, resulting finally in ecstasy, transfiguration, illumination, and liberation. To illustrate these stages, Eversole includes works by abstract expressionists Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko and modern visionary artists Alex Grey and Ernst Fuchs, among others, to reveal the powerful and liberating forces art contributes to the transformation and evolution of human consciousness. (Amazon)
Contemporary art in the Middle East- edited by Paul Sloman. 2009
- Contemporary Art in the Middle East is the first in an exciting new series--ARTWORLD--that seeks to showcase the most engaging, cutting-edge contemporary art being made around the world today. Contemporary Art in the Middle East gives those with a genuine interest in art and culture a vital source with which to see the amazing work coming out of a region where reports of political conflict often eclipse those of cultural innovation. With essays by esteemed writers, academics and practitioners, Contemporary Art in the Middle East profiles the work of the most cutting edge artists coming out of the Middle East today, including that by Khosrow Hassan Zadeh, Shrin Neshat, Mona Hatoum, Farhad Moshiri, Shadi Ghadirian, Ghazel, Mitra Tarizian, Reza Aramesh and Yehudit Sasportas. With artist pages presenting specially-commissioned works from some of the most important artists currently working out of the region, Contemporary Art in the Middle East is the first survey of its kind, shattering old stereotypes and providing a forum for art that is insightful, humourous, interesting and inspiring. (Amazon)
Futurism- edited by Didier Ottinger. 2009
- Impassioned, polemical, and rebellious, the Futurist movement exalted the modern world by placing machines, speed, and technology at the heart of its artistic experimentations. Futurism embodied the same reality that it tried to capture: a dynamism that reflected the changing structure of the visible world. This landmark survey, published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's Manifesto of Futurism, traces the movement from its origins in Italy to the international creative forum. Richly illustrated with 130 works by luminaries such as Boccioni, Balla, Picasso, Braque, Leger, Sonia and Robert Delaunay, Duchamp, and Malevich, the book explores different modes of expression within shared themes: the lighting of modern cities, dance, crowd movement, and the speed of new mechanical means of transport. Featuring essays by the world's leading authorities on Futurism and the avant-garde, Futurism is a radical reassessment of the movement and essential for understanding the genesis of many of modernism's greatest works. (Amazon)
Paula Modersohn-Becker- Averil King. 2009
- The innovative, highly original work of Paula Modersohn-Becker (1876-1907) helped pave the way for modern art in Europe. In recognition of her achievements the first museum in the world devoted to the work of a woman artist, the Paula-Modersohn-Becker-Museum, was founded at Bremen. Designed as an introduction to the life and work of an artist whose output is not widely known elsewhere, this book aims to set her in her time and place for readers unfamilair with the art and culture of late nineteenth-century Germany. Paula trained in Berlin and at the rural artists' colony of Worpswede, near Bremen, marrying her fellow artist Otto Modersohn in 1901. She continued to live at Worpswede, but in the remaining years of her short life insisted on spending time in Paris, in order to experience the work of other important European artists and sculptors. Forming a close intellectual friendship with the great lyric poet Rainer Maria Rilke, she especially admired Cezanne, Rodin and Gauguin. Her persuasive and distinctive use of form and colour mean that she is now thought of as an early Expressionist. (Amazon)
Sleuth : the amazing quest for lost art treasures- Philip Mould. 2009
- CSI meets Who Do You Think You Are? meets Time Team meets The Antiques Roadshow. Two-dimensional works of art become three-dimensional thrillers. Philip Mould is an international art dealer who has lived the high stakes game of art sleuthing for twenty years. In Sleuth, we encounter the fascinating dealers, experts, auctioneers and restorers who risk fortunes and reputations to turn overlooked artworks into coveted treasures. Sleuth is laced with dramas: / Gainsborough's earliest picture emerges in a Los Angeles saleroom - the author has three days to find the missing facts and decide what to pay. / The most powerful man in the art establishment, with the influence to elevate a copy into a priceless original, is asked to look at a 'fake' Rembrandt self portrait: if he says yes a GBP5,000 picture turns into GBP5 million masterpiece. / A Vermont professor unlocks the door of a defunct Catholic church to reveal a hidden cache of 300 portraits. / An auctioneer notices from the upper story of a bus that Damien Hirst's restaurant is being dismantled. He swoops in and sells the fixtures and fittings for GBP13 million. Sleuth is a series of stories which not only reveals the extraordinary culture of detection but the people behind it. Paintings and their discovery become a way into the minds, preoccupations and professions of a raft of influential figures beyond the commercial and museum facade - men and women who have shaped their lives in pursuit of truth and profit through art. (Amazon)
Bacon's arena (DVD)- 2009
- DVD: Francis Bacon is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century. This special edition has been created to mark the centenary of his birth and is produced in association with the Estate of Francis Bacon and the film is considered to be the definitive biographical documentary on Francis Bacon. (Amazon)
The cool school : how L.A. learned to love modern art (DVD)
The freelance design handbook: don't start work without it- Fishel, Cathy.
- The Freelance Design Handbook is a practical and inspirational illustrated desk reference for freelance designers hoping to develop a long term and successful career path. The book is packed full of best practice, practical business tips, and professional and creative strategies from successful freelancers, case studies, alongside industry reference resources, to inform aspiring freelance designers of their options. This book explores the different design fields open to freelancers, covering all genres of graphic design, including, branding, corporate identity, publishing, information design, and how each area is best approached from a freelance standpoint. (Amazon] )
The handy book of artistic printing- Clouse, Doug.
- Print design, like virtually all other decorative arts, exploded in a profusion of ornament during the late nineteenth century. The authors of this book painstakingly unearthed examples of this once-ubiquitous if short-lived design culture, and present a treasure trove of visual material, most never before seen by today's designers. (Global books in print)
The independent design guide : innovative products from the new generation- Houseley, Laura.
- The availability of high design at affordable prices has created a new generation of consumers who are looking for unusual and one-of-a-kind objects. A growing collector's market has fueled the interest in young, emerging designers, whose work has become highly sought after, and galleries are opening everywhere to help meet this new demand. This is the first publication to present these recently discovered talents and their creations. The focus is on pieces that are produced locally or by designer-makers who do not yet have international distribution. (Amazon)
Invitation and promotion design : ideas with impact- editors, Lou Andrea Savoir, Paz Diman.
- Every day, countless promotional e-mail, business cards, flyers, posters and invitations are printed, sent and received, but only a select few capture our attention and interest or are remotely memorable, desirable, or even collectable. Invitation and Promotion Design presents the best of this genre worldwide. This incredible collection is an excellent reference demonstrating design examples that have had great impact in a noisy, media-glutted world. (Amazon)
1,000 garment graphics : a comprehensive collection of wearable designs- Everett, Jeffrey.
- This book offers designers a vast collection of inspiring and innovative graphic works from the real world. The main emphasis is on fashion from t-shirt graphics, to sneakers, to baseball caps and more. The book will feature trends as well as graphics that endure the test of time. (Amazon]
Play all day : design for children- edited by Robert Klanten.
- Play all day presents fascinating examples of innovative and well-designed toys, playgrounds, play environments, room decorations, wall coverings, furniture and kindergarten architecture. In addition to these products, it also presents illustration, photography as well as new and original ideas offering playful solutions that talented designers and creative parents are designing for and with their kids. (Amazon]
July 09
New Art Books:
Abstract America- Saatchi Gallery. 2009
- A radical new generation of American abstract painters has emerged in the twenty-first century. Whereas their predecessors advanced abstraction in the shadow of the Cold War, this new generation arose at the cusp of the transition to the digital era and is marked by the traumatic events surrounding 9/11 and its ongoing social and political aftermath. In these shifting times the artist's alter ego might well be the DJ - brushstrokes are replaced by "riffs" while "old school" palettes are discarded for "Teletubby purple" or "bubble gum pink". This is the age of "the remix" where raw material is downloaded and "Photoshopped". Contemporary artists have irony at their disposal and switch to tie-dye aesthetics or psychedelia as fast as they can quote Malevich. This next wave is thrilling. Painted loops, reminiscent of Jackson Pollock, are revealed to be motorcycle skid marks - bringing new meaning to Abstract Expressionism. Even though traditions are "deconstructed" and paintings can echo "grunge", historical continuity remains. As Max Henry writes in his introduction, "The American Dream does not exist any more. It is itself an abstraction." Abstract America is being published in conjunction with the opening of one of today's most important institutions collecting and exhibiting contemporary ar - the new Saatchi Gallery in London. (Amazon)
Degas : the uncontested master- Jane Kinsman with Michael Pantazzi. 2008
- Born in Paris in 1834, Edgar Degas art was considered radical in his adoption of modern subject matter and he was to become a key figure in the evolution of modern art. Degas: The Uncontested Master covers the period from Degas early portraiture and historical subject matter of the 1870s through his move to modern subject matter, to his late experimental paintings and photographs from the 1890s until his death in 1917. Degas exhibited with a group of other young artists who came to be known as the Impressionists, but he was seen to stand apart from them in his treatment and choice of subjects. The book includes work from the many mediums Degas used painting, sculpture, printing, pastels monotypes and photography and his favourite subjects: the ballet, the opera, the racetrack, women in bordellos and bathing, milliners and laundresses. It conveys the richness of colour and Degas experimental approach with his mediums. A major essay by curator Jane Kinsman looks at Degas role in organising the first Impressionist exhibitions and the break from the traditions of the Salon, quoting prominent critics of the time. The second major essay, by internationally renowned Degas expert Michael Pantazzi, presents a detailed biography of Degas with many new facts never before published. (Amazon)
Francis Bacon- edited by Matthew Gale and Chris Stephens ; essays by Martin Harrison and others. 2008
- Along with JMW Turner, Francis Bacon (1909-92) is regarded internationally as Britain's greatest painter. Drawing on low-art sources, including photographs torn from magazines and imagery from films, coupled with a keen awareness of the rich historical tradition of painting stretching back to the renaissance, he developed a way of portraying the human body that was unique in the history of painting. ...Towards the end of the first decade of a new century it is time to re-assess the achievement of this unique artist, whose style was so personal and distinctive that his influence lay more in his commitment to art itself than in any stylistic legacy. Can a painter still be seen as vital in the digital age? Do Bacon's tortured, despairing figures still speak to the human condition? It might be that for the contemporary viewer, Bacon's imagery appears to have foreshadowed the scenes that have filled our newspapers and television screens in recent years. Leading expert on international modern art Matthew Gale and renowned expert on British art Chris Stephens are joined by other international critics in a radical reassessment of Bacon's position for the twenty-first century. (Amazon)
Frida Kahlo : the still lifes- Salomon Grimberg. 2008
- The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous artists of all time. However, while much has been written about Kahlo's striking self-portraits, her still-life paintings (of which 40 or so are documented) have not been subjected to such close scrutiny until now. In this groundbreaking study, noted Kahlo scholar Salomon Grimberg explores in detail and interprets all of the artist's still lifes, including some that have come to light only recently. Offering provocative new perspectives on Kahlo's creative process, and revealing how the still lifes reflected her internal reality and complement her self-portraits, this book represents an indispensable contribution to the literature on an enduringly popular artist. (Amazon)
Henry Moore textiles - edited by Anita Feldman ; introduction by Sue Prichard. 2008
- "Henry Moore Textiles" is the first publication on this relatively unknown aspect of Moore's work. Much of the material, including many recently discovered textile designs, has never been published before. At the instigation of Czech textile guru Zika Ascher, in 1943 Moore began filling four notebooks with drawings for textiles. Other designs followed in the early 1950s commissioned by David Whitehead Fabrics following the Festival of Britain. Moore's prolific work resulted in the production of twenty-eight designs for silk squares, dress and upholstery fabrics, and wall hangings. Using strikingly vibrant colours and modern materials, the aim was to brighten up the post-war wardrobe and bring art into the realm of daily life. Generously illustrated, "Henry Moore Textiles" offers a new angle on a popular artist, and is published to coincide with the first exhibition devoted to this facet of Moore's work at the Henry Moore Foundation in Hertfordshire. (Amazon)
Mother : portraits by 40 great artists- 2009
- Artists paint their mothers for many reasons - as a loving tribute, of course, but also to capture a memorable face, to work through conflicting emotions, as a family legacy, or the simple availability of a model. Looking at each work and considering its individual history reveals much about the relationship, the artist, and about the time and place in which it was created. Mother collects more than 40 of these fascinating portraits. Selected by art historian Juliet Heslewood, the portraits are displayed chronologically, and the changing nature of the subject can be seen as time progresses over the centuries to the present day. Text accompanying each portrait provides compelling background information about the artist and his or her mother, the mother's impact on the artist's career, and the artist's painting style. Among the painters represented are Rembrandt, Rossetti, Van Gogh, Sargent, Picasso, Kahlo, and Hockney. (Amazon)
Merchants, princes and painters : silk fabrics in Italian and Northern paintings, 1300-1550
Neo utopia : the art & work of Superblast- by Manuel Osterholt. 2008
- Berlin based graphic designer SUPERBLAST was immersed in the world of punk rock and skateboarding when he discovered graffiti in 1990 and quickly became addicted to the energy and vitality of the street art underground. As a logical evolution of writing with spraypaint, he started a career as graphic designer in 1999. While studying graphic design, he freelanced for several urban brands, had solo and collective art shows. In 2004 he honed his skills in the beautiful craft of creating letters, by attending lessons in Fontdesign from the world-famous Luc(as) de Groot. His unique iconic style and use of color in illustrations, lettering and wall pieces lead him to projects with some of the most interesting and innovative artists and companies in his field. Most notable are his collaborations with Playstation Portable, Ecko Unltd, Volkl Skateboards, Montana Cans, and many more. SUPERBLAST has designed clothing, graphics, magazine ads, and skateboard decks. Neo Utopia - The Art & Work of Superblast is a fascinating career retrospective from a pioneer of the European graffiti world. Included is a personal selection of graphic design work, graffiti, illustration, ad campaigns, logo design, typography and related art of the past 17 years as well as sketches and full color photos of work in progress. (Gingko Press)
One thousand years of manga- Brigitte Koyama-Richard
- In recent years, Manga has seen phenomenal success, not only in Japan, where it dominates the publishing industry, but also in the West, where it is steadily growing in popularity and influence. As swift and sudden as the popularity of this graphic art form may seem, Manga has, in fact, deep roots in Japanese culture, drawing on centuries-old artistic traditions. As early as the twelfth century, Emakimono scrolls existed, a narrative form in which stories of all kinds�romantic, fantastic, even comic�were told through the combined use of text and illustration. Japanese art continued to change as profound political, social, and economic transformations remade the country in the centuries to follow. Today there is little doubt as to the meaning of the term Manga�nor to the astonishing popularity of the form�but few in the West understand the long artistic history that gave birth to this phenomenon and the social factors that continue to shape it today.One Thousand Years of Manga is both an informative account of the genesis of the form and a visual delight. Through its captivating illustrations and enlightening text, the book situates Manga in its proper context, appreciating it for what it truly is: an integral part of Japanese art and culture that is as rich and revealing as it is popular. (Amazon)
Street art San Francisco : Mission muralismo- edited by Annice Jacoby for Precita Eyes Muralists ; foreword by Carlos Santana. 2009
- San Francisco's legendary Mission District boasts a greater concentration of street art than any other neighbourhood in the world. Beginning in the early 1970s as a form of social and political activism, a vibrant public mural movement has flourished in this dynamic, multicultural community. The result is a spectacular, ever-changing urban landscape transformed by the artistic convergence of traditional Mexican mural painting, folk art, Surrealism, Pop art, underground comics, advertising and graffiti.With 900 stunning photographs, this provocative book showcases more than three decades of work by a diverse array of artists, from the conspicuously anonymous to the internationally famous. Gronk, Rigo, Las Mujeres Muralistas, Barry McGee (Twist), R. Crumb, Spain Rodriguez, Michael Rio, Chuy Campusano, Susan Cervantes and Neckface are among the many who have made the streets of the Mission their public gallery. Both reverent and subversive essays and commentaries by writers and artists involved with the movement document the artistic, social and political forces that have shaped Mission Muralismo. (Amazon)
Graphic design referenced : a visual guide to the language, aplications, and history of graphic design- Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit
- Graphic Design, Referenced is a visual and informational guide to the most commonly referenced terms, historical moments, landmark projects, and influential practitioners in the field of graphic design. With more than 2,000 design projects illustrating more than 400 entries, it provides an intense overview of the varied elements that make up the graphic design profession through a unique set of chapters: "principles" defines the very basic foundation of what constitutes graphic design to establish the language, terms, and concepts that govern what we do and how we do it, covering layout, typography, and printing terms; "knowledge" explores the most influential sources through which we learn about graphic design from the educational institutions we attend to the magazines and books we read; "representatives" gathers the designers who over the years have proven the most prominent or have steered the course of graphic design in one way or another; and "practice" highlights some of the most iconic work produced that not only serve as examples of best practices, but also illustrate its potential lasting legacy. Graphic Design, Referenced serves as a comprehensive source of information and inspiration by documenting and chronicling the scope of contemporary graphic design, stemming from the middle of the twentieth century to today. (Amazon)
Sketchbooks : the hidden art of designers, illustrators & creatives- Richard Brereton. 2009.
- A fantastic source of inspiration, the book gives insight into the inner workings and private inspiration of creatives from the world of advertising, design, graphic design, fashion design, art, street art, and illustration. Intimate and often unseen, sketchbooks document the sources of inspiration as well as the journey to final execution. Providing a showcase of ideas, the sketchbooks themselves are complemented by interviews where the artists explain how they use their sketchbooks and how these relate to finished works, giving readers a direct and unmediated insight into the process of research and creation. (Laurence King Publishing)
