Tag: street art

Looking back on things: New art books

Thomas

A selection of books for your new year reading, these books reflect on the role of art; in its classical halls and chapels, in our reflections upon childhood and on the very streets we walk. Also included are some practical books for those ready to make a mark or stich that should help point you in the right direction.

Picturing joy : stories of connection / Lange, George
“Whether he was shooting a movie star or a family member, he saw his own search for joy reflected in the images. While growing up in Pittsburgh, Lange cherished his happy childhood, and he found himself unconsciously yearning for that feeling in his adult life. Through intimate stories and more than eighty photos, Picturing Joy invites readers to appreciate life with all their senses and to change their perspective by being open to new things.”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

All things move : learning to look in the Sistine Chapel / Marshall, Jeannie
“A writer studies a famous work of art and finds herself and her own cultural moment revealed at its heart. Jeannie Marshall lived in Rome for ten years without visiting the Sistine Chapel: she didn’t want to have a superficial experience of the frescos, but she wasn’t sure how, amidst the crowds of tour groups and the noise of pop culture allusions, she could have anything but. All Things Move is a quietly sublime meditation on how art, once invested with the power to save our souls, can enlarge our lives if only we learn how to look.”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Street art’s rising stars : 24 artists you should know / Mattanza, Alessandra
“Making their statements on the walls of the world’s major cities, these emerging artists are also making their way to the forefront of an increasingly crowded genre. As street artists move from the fringe to the mainstream, it’s hard to know who is a true talent and who’s just a flash in the pan. Whether rebelling against the establishment or bringing communities together; highlighting important issues or expressing a unique creative vision; these artists are living proof of street art’s lasting influence, infinite adaptability, and remarkable diversity” — Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The printmaking bible : the complete guide to materials and techniques / D’Arcy Hughes, Ann
“With its stunning array of full-color images, The Printmaking Bible is the ultimate guide to the ins and outs of every variety of printmaking practiced today-from intaglio to monotype.  Originally published in 2008, this comprehensive handbook has been revised and updated for this edition, which incorporates new artists, methods, and technologies from all over the world”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Seeing it all women photographers expose our planet / Rubinstein, Rhonda
“Eleven visionary photographers–who happen to be women–focus upon moments of profound beauty and peril on our planet. These intrepid individuals use photography to expose how we–humans, animals, nature–are living together in these precipitous times. Each photographer provides a concise manifesto arising from their commitment to life on the planet, which is accompanied by a short profile and behind-the scenes insights into their activities.”–Publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The untamed thread : slow stitch to soothe the soul & ignite creativity / Woods, Fleur
“The Untamed Thread takes you inside Fleur Woods’ contemporary fibre art studio in rural Aotearoa New Zealand, where her practice is as untamed as the natural landscape that inspires her. Taking you on a journey through colour, texture, flora, textiles and stitch, alongside the magical moments, happy accidents, perfect coincidences and ridiculous randomness of the artistic process, this is a book for anyone wanting to connect with their inner creative self”–Provided by publisher.” ( Adapted from Catalogue)

Unexpected art and concrete canvases

Xinxin
A couple cover images from this featured booklist on a cityscape background

It’s never the object I make that has been of interest, but how it taps into the things that flow through a place and change a place. It’s a window into the processes that make that place what it is. – Andy Goldsmith, via The Scotsman


We love it when a piece of art is truly jaw-dropping. These creative and unexpected ideas include a luminous moon resting on water, sculpture that can be repurposed for sheep farming, artwork on concrete, postal art and more. Read on!

Unexpected art : serendipitous installations, site-specific works, and surprising interventions / Spring, Jenny Moussa
“Collected here are dozens of jaw-dropping artworks – site-specific installations, extraordinary sculptures, and ground-breaking interventions in public spaces – that reveal the exciting things that happen when contemporary artists play with the idea of place. Unexpected Art showcases the wonderfully experimental work of more than 50 innovative artists from around the world in galleries of their most astonishing artworks.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Enclosure / Goldsworthy, Andy
“In the early 1990s Andy Goldsworthy was invited to propose a project for Cumbria, where the beautiful landscape has been moulded by sheep-farming. He reconstructed a swathe of sheepfolds containing artworks, with the intention that the folds would still be accessible to sheep. This book also contains: graceful serpentines of frozen wool reach up from a rock in a gorge; lengths of wall are painstakingly edged with bright white lines of wool or frozen snow. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Concrete canvas : how street art is changing the way our cities look / Bofkin, Lee
“Concrete Canvas does just that; investigating the media the artists work with, the canvases they work on, the themes that arise through their work, and the way their art redefines the spaces in which it is set. Concrete Canvas is filled with stunning photos of works, including Ron English, Phlegm, Daim and more. It examines how the curation of public space is affecting our cities and moving art into the future. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Global model village : the international street art of Slinkachu. / Slinkachu
“A tiny mother and child bustle through a dusty township in Cape Town, or a miniature informant whispers in a telephone booth in Beijing. Thumb-size riot police climb the Acropolis in Athens. These little dramas somehow express the melancholy and magic of  life in the big city amongst millions of others. ” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

Mail me art : going postal with the world’s best illustrators and designers / Di Lieto, Darren
“Showcases the 200 best illustrations from the Mail Me Art project, a popular online designer challenge to create a piece of art on the outside of an envelope or package and send it through the mail. You’ll enjoy the variety of unique art produced by artists around the world and will be inspired by the challenge of shipping art through the mail.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Scratching the surface : art and content in contemporary wood / Hosaluk, Michael
“From 1940, studio wood has been about design of elegant form and balance. The best of these designs are perfection; they may never be surpassed. This book showcases exceptional examples of surface design and narrative content in the studio wood movement. It is the fifth title in GUILD Publishing’s craft showcase series, and features works by more than 40 acclaimed artists in vibrant full-colour photographs.” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

Art & textiles : fabric as material and concept in modern art from Klimt to the present
“Thread, weave, network, and pattern are simultaneously foundation, result, and inspiration and spill over into the areas painting, sculpture, installation, and media art. This opulently designed volume presents both an artistic and an intercultural dialogue, comparing works by Gustav Klimt, Edgar Degas, Jackson Pollock, Eva Hesse, Chiharu Shiota, and Sergei Jensen. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)