Art & Photography Books

Book SynopsisA visual, large-format compilation of some the finest architectural drawings from Sir John Soane's extensive collection. Architectural Drawings casts light on the magnificent architectural drawings of neo-classical architect, teacher and collector, Sir John Soane that are otherwise concealed in archives. This book, featuring artworks handpicked from what was probably the first comprehensive collection of architectural drawings in the world, numbering 30,000 at the time of his death in 1837, celebrates a life spent procuring curiosities. The collection encompasses the hands of Montano, Thorpe, Wren, Talman, Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh, Gibbs, Kent, Chambers, Adam, Clérisseau, Pêcheux, Wyatt, Playfair, Nash and, of course, Soane himself. The quality of Soane’s collection of drawings is scarcely paralleled elsewhere and on account of their fragility, these items are infrequently seen by the public. This innovative book draws together the most exquisite and important works from the collection for the first time, showing the extraordinary connoisseurship of Sir John Soane while also exploring what drove Soane to amass such a collection and the provenance of his various significant acquisitions. This book illustrates the story of Soane as a collector of architectural drawings, but a story which is not normally available to the public, and will provide a sumptuous opportunity to peruse some of the finest architectural drawings in existence.Trade Review‘A unique resource, both of the draughtsman who made them and of architectural history as a whole’ -- Inigo‘The book has a value both to the connoisseur, who will delight in the feast of technical mastery that is on display, and also to a more general reader for whom the detailed illustrations and Sands’s engaging and informative commentary serve as the perfect introduction to the art of architectural drawing. At a mere £35, this book is impossible to resist.’ -- William Aslet * Apollo Review *'Totally indulgent' * Catholic Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of the building of an iconic mid-century housing estate, that is often seen as the model for housing architecture. Fully illustrated with commissioned photography of the interiors and exteriors, archive images and newly commissioned writing by leading architectural historians, plus interviews with people on the estate to capture their story. Following World War II, the population in the City of London plummeted, and with a duty to provide housing for those working in the area – such as nurses, policemen and doctors – the City Corporation commissioned architect Geoffry Powell in 1952 to design the Golden Lane Estate. Powell invited Christoph Bon and Jo Chamberlin to join him in developing a detailed design for the Estate. They would later become Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, working on world-renowned projects such as the Barbican Estate and the University of Leeds. Golden Lane Estate, now Grade II and Grade II* listed is often cited as being a model estate. With its high level of detailing, use of materials, colour, its humane scale, thoughtfulness of space, light, communal spaces, leisure facilities and integrated shops, it is exemplary, particularly for social housing. It was deemed as a success from the off and remains popular today, with many original tenants and/or their families still choosing to live there. What sets the estate apart is the sense of community and neighbourliness which is promoted by the architecture and design. Trade Review‘A rich combination of architectural and social history, tracing the rise and fall and rise of the estate’s fortunes’ * Wallpaper Feature *‘A rich combination of architectural and social history, tracing the rise and fall and rise of the estate’s fortunes’ * Wallpaper* *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fascinating insight into Britain’s industrial past as evidenced by its buildings, richly illustrated with intricate line drawings. Industrial Britain goes far beyond the mills and machine houses of the Industrial Revolution to give an engaging insight into Britain’s industrial heritage. It looks at the power stations and monumental bridges of Britain, including the buildings and engineering projects associated with the distribution of manufactured goods – docks, canals, railways and warehouses. The gasworks Temples of mass production The mill Warehouse and manufactory Dock and harbour buildings Water power and water storage Waterways: canals and rivers The railway age Breweries and oast houses Markets and exchanges The twentieth century: industry on greenfield sites It’s a story of industrial development, but also a story of its ultimate decline. As manufacturing has been increasingly replaced by services, new uses have been found for at least some of the country’s great industrial buildings. Not least as containers for art and heritage, such as the Bankside Power Station (Tate Modern) and Salts Mill. Other buildings featured are still used as originally intended today, such as Smithfield Market in London and the Shepherd Neame brewery in Faversham. Illustrated throughout with over 200 original line drawings, Industrial Britain is a celebration of industrial architecture and its enduring legacy.Trade Review‘Not only a record of the buildings that tell the story of a rapidly industrialising nation but a testament to their importance in the history of British architecture. … A timely reminder of both our continued reliance on heavy industry and the threatened heritage of Britain’s industrial landscapes’ -- InigoTable of ContentsIntroduction Britain’s industrial heritage Fire, forge and furnace The watermill and windmill The power station The gasworks Temples of mass production: the mill Warehouse and manufactory Dock and harbour buildings Water power and water storage Waterways: canals and rivers The railway age Breweries and oast houses Markets and exchanges The twentieth century: industry on greenfield sites Postscript Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisRenowned botanical artist and professional gardener, Carolyn Jenkins combines her love of art and gardening to create stunning compositions (often very different from traditional botanical painting) with vibrant colours that leap from the page. The first part of this book – Botanical: Grow – explores time well-spent in the garden and covers much of the traditional details of botanical painting, from observation to capturing light, colour and texture. The second part – Contemporary: Paint – explores how Carolyn works with photography, using the computer to help with crop and composition, achieving maximum impact and creating luminous paintings that shine from the page. Her stunning illustrations are full of vibrant colour, and her larger-than-life artworks have gained an enthusiastic following on Instagram. This practical guide contains all the techniques and practice you need to create beautiful botanical art, plus step-by-step photography, crop, composition and photoshop demonstrations, to bring luminous colours, textures and impact to your own work.Trade Review‘Contains everything budding artists need to create eye-catching springtime paintings’ * Wildflower *‘Both fascinating and thought-provoking’ -- Henry Malt * The Artist *‘Chock-full of resplendent botanical paintings’ * PaperCrafter *‘An inviting book’ -- Henry Malt * Art Book Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA showcase of Britain's most architecturally significant shops throughout the twentieth century and beyond.100 20th-Century Shops is a fascinating insight into the heritage of Britain’s changing high street and the diverse architectural styles of the 20th century. Entries in this book showcase 100 often instantly recognisable shops from across the country, from throughout the 20th century and stretching into the 21st, capturing the changing architectural styles of our beloved and rapidly disappearing retail environment.As the UK's retail landscape faces an existential crisis, now is an appropriate time to review and celebrate the architecture of our high streets. From Tudor-revival department stores and futuristic supermarkets to Art Deco shop fronts and post-war Festival style markets, the 100 shops featured here evoke a variety of design styles and traces the history and evolution of our cherished high street. The book also contains essays by respected writers Elain Harwood, Lynn Pearson, Matthew Whitfield, Kathryn A. Morrison and Bronwen Edwards on the design, development and decline of the high street over the last 100 years within a social and political context. This compelling book provides a glimpse into the wonderful shops that Britain has to offer and is a must-have for all fans of design history, architecture and retail.Trade Review‘Beautifully presented.' Country Life, Jack Watkins 'Delightfully rich in nostalgia.’ Financial Times, Edwin Heathcote

Read more less

Book Synopsis A glorious global celebration of modern railway architecture in the mid-20th century and beyond. Many railway books are about nostalgia for the steam age, but this one is different: a global study of railway architecture from the 1950s onwards and into the future. In 50 fascinating entries, renowned travel and architecture writer Christopher Beanland looks primarily at stations but also covers starkly brutalist signal boxes and depots, charming art-adorned undergrounds and international examples of pioneering signage and design. Station explores LA''s iconic Union Station, the verdant Atocha Station in Madrid and Warsaw''s spectacular modernist stations, but it also includes less familiar examples such as Saudi Arabia's high-speed Haramain Line, the joyous monorail at Walt Disney World Resort and Mexico''s anticipated Tren Maya. The book also contains essays on topics including hanging railways in Germany and Japan, the intriguing architecture and design of Berlin''s U-Bahn stations and the joy of interrailing. Illustrated with glorious photographs throughout, this stylish and contemporary book is a celebration of modern railway architecture at its best and will appeal to rail enthusiasts and architecture aficionados alike.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn adorable collection of the sweetest baby animals you’ve ever seen, brought to exquisitely detailed life by well-loved animal artist Hannah Dale, creator of Wrendale Designs. This beautiful gift book, first published in 2015 but now reissued in a larger size to give even more prominence to the gorgeous illustrations, features over 50 British baby animals that are just starting out in life, painted in the author’s quirky, inimitable style. From the playful fox cub to the tiny fluffy duckling, from the prettiest baby seal to a wobbly thoroughbred foal, everyone’s favourite mini creatures are charmingly brought to life by this award-winning artist - you'll squeal with delight at their cuteness! Each animal portrait is accompanied by informative and entertaining text that will teach you more about how these little creatures will make their way in the world. This truly lovely book is the perfect gift package for nature lovers of any age.

Read more less

Book Synopsis A stylish celebration of some of the greatest buildings in Britain, from the 20th century and beyond, by the country's leading organisation for the protection of 20th century architecture. This fascinating book showcases 100 standout buildings from 1914 onwards, representing the broad variety of 20th century British architecture.The structures celebrated in this book include the Royal Festival Hall, the Hepworth Gallery, Preston Bus Station, Battersea Power Station, the Barbican Estate, the Aquatics Centre and many more. The glorious photography in 100 20th Century Buildings is accompanied by insightful text from a range of expert architectural writers and enthusiasts including Alan Powers, Owen Hatherley and Rowan Moore, along with several longer essays on different aspects of the 20th-century built environment: the late Gavin Stamp on the inter-war decades, the much missed Elain Harwood on post-war architecture and Timothy Brittain-Catlin on postmode

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guide to the pubs throughout the South West that have interiors of real historic significance. From rural `time-warp' pubs to old coaching inns and include some unsung interiors from the inter-war and post-war period. This is the first guide of its kind for the South West.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSpanning over 50 years of contemporary art, When Forms Come Alive - which accompanies a major exhibition at London's Hayward Gallery - explores the ways in which artists have been inspired by movement, flux and organic growth, from a dancer’s gesture to the breaking of a wave, or from a flow of molten metal to the interlacing of a spider’s web. It features a range of energetic sculptural forms that seem to ooze, undulate, blossom, erupt and sprawl across gallery spaces. This richly illustrated hardback book explores the artists and their work in detail, and includes essays by Hayward Gallery Director Ralph Rugoff and art historian Natalie Rudd which cite the artists' work within the context of postminimalism, and explore formal and material innovation in sculpture across the past half century. Texts on each artist by a range of writers will accompany a broad-ranging selection of images. Includes the works of 21 international artists, namely Ruth Asawa, Nairy Baghramian, Phyllida Barlow, Lynda Benglis, Michel Blazy, Paloma Bosque, Olaf Brzeski, Choi Jeong Hwa, Tara Donovan, DRIFT, Eva Fabregas, Holly Hendry, EJ Hill, Marguerite Humeau, Jean-Luc Moulene, Senga Nengudi, Ernesto Neto, Martin Puryear, Matthew Ronay, Teresa Solar Abboud and Franz West.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume forms part of Tate Publishing's Modern Artists monographs. In a career spanning five decades, Peter Blake has established himself as one of the most influential and original artists working in Britain. Coming to prominence in the late 1950s and 60s his deployment of popular culture icons and consumer goods in his work earned him the title of 'father of pop'. His continued engagement with the technique of collage gave rise to one of the most iconic images of the 1960s, the cover he designed for The Beatles' @Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. Preferring to work outside of art world trends, Blake has instinctively drawn from his own life experience to produce work that unabashedly celebrates sentimental themes such as love, magic and nostalgia.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBuilding on the achievements of Goethe in his Theory of Colour, Rudolf Steiner shows how colour affects us in many areas of life, including our health, our sense of well-being, and our feelings. Distinguishing between 'image' and 'lustre' colours, he lays the foundation, based on his spiritual-scientific research, for a practical technique of working with colour that leads to a new direction in artistic creativity. His many penetrating remarks on some of the great painters of the past are supplemented by a deep concern to see a cultural, spiritual renewal emerge in the present time. 'If you realize', he states, 'that art always has a relation to the spirit, you will understand that both in creating and appreciating it, art is something through which one enters the spiritual world.' This volume is the most comprehensive compilation of Rudolf Steiner's insights into the nature of colour, painting and artistic creation. It is an invaluable source of reference and study not only for artists and therapists but for anyone interested in gaining an appreciation of art as a revelation of spiritual realities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis comprehensive reference work contains scale drawings of every type of detailing used in contemporary residential architecture.Each section contains at least 50 drawings drawn to a set range of scales: 1:5, 1:10 or 1:50, with detailed keys explaining construction and material. Each drawing is cross-referenced to other details from the same house.The opening section of the book forms a directory that shows interior and exterior images of the source houses, together with credits, a brief descriptive text and information as to which details from that house are included. The houses in this section are organized by main construction material (wood, concrete, glass etc).The book will be an invaluable reference work for all architects showing the best examples of residential detailing from around the world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated book in the National Gallery's new One Painting, One Story series explores the making and meaning of Vigée Le Brun's Self Portrait in a Straw Hat.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHere is Volume 2 of Funny Brummie Pictures by RobertGeoghegan about his home city of Birmingham where he haslived all his life. His paintings, often captioned, are full of thedetail and colour of modern urban life with a comic twist. There's something here for everyone from punks on a nightservice bus to squirrels taking part in Parkrun'. There are footballpictures about Blues, Villa and West Brom and, of course, moreBirmingham bus pictures with zoo animals, the Beach Boys, dogs,bears, Jim Morrison and Hattie Jacques all aboard. The Peaky Blindersare included again, this time on a Team Building Day Out atBirmingham Sea Life Centre' and Tommy and Arthur riding e-scooters. Landmark buildings are here Highbury Hall with a Rebecca twist,Cadbury's factory where they're making dark chocolate on thenightshift, Sarehole Mill where a school party are causing Trouble atMill', to name but a few. Pubs and chippies also feature, with acustomer complaining of soggy chips outside Kings Heath's Hi Tide. The Loch Ness monster, Gandalf, the Owl and the Clocktower and theBrothers Grimm all make an appearance. Munch's The Scream appearson The Ramp' and Van Gogh paints Starry Night over Birmingham'scity centre skyline. There are alsopictures of the Mechanical Bull' inCentenary Square during BirminghamCommonwealth Games.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRegardless of style, age or size, a home should be a place of refuge, a private space in which we can feel truly comfortable, whether spending time on our own or entertaining friends. Above all, it should be a place of our own making, filled with the books, furniture and other cherished objects that say so much about who we are. Nowhere is this philosophy more apparent than in the work of Chester Jones, one of the UK's most celebrated interior designers and decorators. Lavishly illustrated throughout, The Interiors of Chester Jones provides a unique and fascinating insight into both Jones himself - a former architect and managing director of Colefax and Fowler - and the thinking behind the many rich and nuanced interiors he has created since establishing his own firm in 1989. The book covers every aspect of his work, from his distinctive use of art and artefacts to his sympathetic treatment of a building's architectural history, and includes a series of in-depth case studies on past projects. At the heart of this beautiful book is Jones's own belief that to be happy in one's own surroundings, to live contentedly in a space of our own design, is to feel genuinely at home.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs one of the world's foremost interior designers, Tricia Guild has a passionate belief that the way we choose to live has a significant impact on our well-being and happiness. The homes that we live in, the things that we surround ourselves with, and the everyday choices we make, can profoundly affect our outlook and positivity. It is no surprise, then, that Tricia practises what she preaches: she finds it impossible to separate her work as a designer from other aspects of her life, and she believes that, in seeking creative inspiration in each experience, especially in enjoying the things that bring pleasure to our lives, we can perfect the art of living. For Tricia, Italy is a particularly enduring passion: the culture, landscape, architecture, food and music all strike a creative chord. She has had a house there for many years. The last home was a rustic farmhouse, but when Tricia and her family began the search for a new property, she knew it would be decidedly different. In this new Italian home, Tricia found the perfect opportunity to create a contemporary interior reflecting a love of modernity and simplicity that has evolved over the years. In Tricia's view, modernity does not mean a lack of colour, pattern or texture; a contemporary interior can be both decorative and minimal - in fact, a confident use of colour and pattern can be the very thing that makes it even more wonderful. Here, working with the architect Stephen Marshall and the garden designer Arne Maynard, Tricia has created a special home - a contemporary interpretation of the local vernacular - that represents her kind of modern. In In My View, Tricia charts the creation of her stunning Italian home set amid verdant oil groves. We are taken on an extensive tour of the breathtaking property, right from the entrance steps and the rooms/spaces in the main house to the outdoor dining areas, studio, guest accommodation, kitchen garden and pool house. Stephen and Arne offer insight into their collaboration with Tricia, describing, among other things, the selection of materials - local stone, concrete, glass and galvanized metal - for the house, and the planting on the terraces and around the rolling lawns of the garden. Local artisans and craftspeople also played a crucial role in bringing this truly magnificent yet relaxing and comfortable home to life. Tricia also presents her new London home - a Victorian townhouse in a corner plot, where, with the same team of Stephen and Arne - she set about creating an urban retreat comprising three distinct areas to accommodate living, dining and resting. While life in Italy for Tricia is about seasonality and nature, her life in London is centred on her work at Designers Guild, the company she founded in 1970. Her London home therefore is, she says, `sharply experimental', her version of a lab, where she tests designs and assesses how colours work together. In this section of the book, Tricia provides a glimpse of working life and the design process at the company headquarters in west London. Throughout the book, Tricia shares the moodboards that helped her to realize her dream homes in Italy and London. For Tricia, moodboards are vital in the early stages of any project, large or small, because they help to stimulate the creative process, even define how one wishes to live, by establishing the language, rhythm and style of each space. The choices that one makes here, the process of selection and careful editing, lie at the heart of finding one's own style. In My View reveals the personal choices have shaped the way Tricia lives now, and will inspire the reader to develop their individual style and thus create their own special view.Trade Review"Color temptress Tricia Guild of Designers Guild has a new book out this month. As always the palettes and mix of patterns is fabulous." Style Carrot "Fabric and pattern designer Tricia Guild is known for her sumptuous palettes and detail. This colorful book will certainly be a pick-me-up on a cold winter day." Surroundings "If Tricia Guild's inventive design and verve for explosive patterns and color intrigues you, then take a look at her newest visual feat, Color Patterns and Space from Rizzoli. As Tricia's largest design book, with over 400 photos, the hardbound tome has a vibrant silk binding with woven ribbon details. If you are familiar with her vast King's Road emporium, then you know she has a mesmerizing way with color pairings and design." Style Beat

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe car industry and the way in which cars are created have changed beyond all recognition over the last half-century. Automotive styling was once the grudging afterthought when the engineers had finished their work. Now, following a short flirtation with exotic Italian design houses, it has evolved into sophisticated design carried out by multitalented in-house teams honing carefully crafted brand identities. One of the visionary designers at the forefront of that revolution has been Patrick le Quement. Most widely acclaimed for his 22 years in charge of Renault Design, resulting in such standout models as the Twingo, Scenic and Avantime, le Quement has enjoyed a 50-year career that has also taken in Simca, Ford and Volkswagen-Audi. In his foreword to the book, Stephen Bayley calls le Quement `perhaps the very most original designer working in the conservative car business at the turn of the millennium'. Some 60 million cars across the world now bear the unmistakable stamp of le Quement. Design: Between the Lines is not a straightforward autobiography; rather, le Quement charts his journey through five decades of thoughts, actions, failures and successes. He offers fascinating commentaries on design and the creative process, and on some of the extraordinary automotive brands that make up our shared cultural heritage. As Bayley notes, for le Quement, design is `as much a matter of thinking as a matter of drawing'. On a broader, more philosophical level, le Quement also shares his views about life in general and that remarkable contraption called `the automobile', which has so influenced the lives of millions of people the world over from the late 1800s to the present day. Presented as a series of 50 brief essays or `perspectives', le Quement's thoughtful and astute observations from the street, from the design studio and from his seat in the boardroom give the reader a penetrating and often amusing insight into the high-level workings of a global industry, its triumphs and tragedies, and the foibles of the decision-makers responsible for running it. A lively complementary text by the automotive journalist Stephane Geffray accompanies each of le Quement's perspectives, and illustrations are provided by the automobile designer Gernot Bracht. Design: Between the Lines will appeal to all motoring fans and enthusiasts of good design. As Chris Bangle, the former Director of BMW Design, remarks: `Few car designers have had a career so filled with innovative successes that they have inspired a whole industry; fewer still have the skills to share it. Engaging and revealing, Patrick relates his personal experience and deep knowledge of car design in a very enjoyable manner.'

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Building Southwark: Architecture and Regeneration in a London Borough, the renowned architecture writer and critic Kenneth Powell continues the story of one of Britain's most dynamic and successful areas of regeneration. While this architectural renaissance which began in the 1980s is evident most publicly along the south bank of the Thames, it extends throughout the borough, from Walworth to Peckham and from Bermondsey to Dulwich. Its impact can be seen in the creation of cultural venues, the revival of industrial spaces for residential and commercial use and shared working, and the generation of a wealth of stunning new and already iconic projects. This comprehensive and fully illustrated book describes more than 50 projects that have been built in Southwark in the new millennium. Arranged according to building type, they include such well-known landmarks as the extension to the Tate Modern, the Shard and the redeveloped London Bridge station, as well as diverse social, cultural, healthcare and education projects, from the refurbishment of King's Reach Tower (now the South Bank Tower) to the new cancer centre at Guy's and St Thomas's hospital and the transformation of Burgess Park. Following the introduction, which offers an overview of the architectural strategy in the borough, the entries are divided into Cultural/Leisure, Housing, Infrastructure/Jobs, Mixed-use, Education and Landscape projects. Forthcoming projects those under construction are also included, among them the enormous undertaking of Elephant & Castle town centre, Walworth Town Hall and the masterplan for Canada Water Basin. Illustrated with photographs and plans, the book offers an inspirational survey and an invaluable record of the continued reinvigoration of this historic and forward-thinking district. AUTHOR: Kenneth Powell is an architecture critic, journalist and writer. He has published widely, including books on Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and John McAslan, as well as New Architecture in Britain (2003), City Reborn (2004), New London Architecture (2005) and New London Architecture 2 (2007; with Cathy Strongman), all by Merrell. He was elected Honorary Fellow of the RIBA in 2000. 350 colour illustrations

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis"With 240 pages filled with incredible art, the bird lover will enjoy flipping through and taking in the vast distinctions between species in the bird kingdom." — Prevention Australian artist Greg Oakley has had a lifelong fascination with birds and bird art, and began photographing birds 20 years ago, progressing from traditional film to digital in the early 2000s. In the past six years, he has worked on perfecting the difficult and exacting area of bird photography known as “setup”, where perches and backgrounds are meticulously crafted and designed, and lighting strictly controlled. There are sometimes hundreds of individual photographs taken and then digitally combined to create a single work. With a combination of photographic skill, field craft, meticulousness and incredible patience, he removes the subject from its natural environment and context, re-imagining it in a field-guide style reminiscent of the historic bird artists. Oakley's photographs represent a reconstructed contemporary vision of important historic artists such as Gould and Audubon. This collection of stunning artwork is a testament to the natural beauty of birds, highlighting the precarious existence of many endangered species and a reminder of the beauty we could lose. By isolating the subject into an unblemished reality, each species’ character and beauty is celebrated with empathy and understanding. The resulting images provide both a rare glimpse in stunning detail of these delicate creatures, and a poignant reminder of the tragic, impending loss of many of them due to habitat loss and climate change.Trade Review"With 240 pages filled with incredible art, the bird lover will enjoy flipping through and taking in the vast distinctions between species in the bird kingdom." - PreventionTable of ContentsForeword Homage to the Bird Coraciiformes Bucerotiformes Accipitriformes Passeriformes Psittaciformes Columbiformes Cuculiformes Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisCurated Living: Elegant Interiors and Artful Homes, the new title from Susan Redman, examines the elements interior designers weave together to redefine elegance in the contemporary home.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA celebration of the life and work of the artist John Craxton, a rebellious figure in British art history Spanning a rich variety of works from the 1940s to the 2000s, this book celebrates the life and work of the British artist John Craxton (1922–2009). It charts the development of Craxton’s work from the poetic, melancholy images created in wartime Britain to the vibrant paintings and drawings produced in his adopted homeland of Greece. The book revisits the artist’s early life and looks at the influence of British Romantic art and the landscape of England and Wales on his work, while also exploring themes around LGBTQ+ identity, his relationship to significant modern British and international artists, and the historical context of mid-century Britain and Greece. Featuring short essays and texts from contributors including Sir David Attenborough, Ian Collins, Simon Martin, Miriam O'Connor Perks, David Mellor, Edmund White, Hilary Spurling, and Tacita Dean—covering subjects across Craxton’s career, including book illustration, landscape, ballet design, ceramics, and tapestry—this lively account showcases the diverse artistic output of this key figure in British art history. Exhibition Schedule: Pallant House Gallery, Chichester (October 28, 2023–April 21, 2024)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first book to dive exclusively into Ai Weiwei’s approach to design and collecting, shedding light on the value we ascribe to everyday objects. Artist, film-maker, architect, activist, collector – whatever mode Ai Weiwei is in, he is trying to tell us something about the state of the world. This book presents Ai’s work as a commentary on design and what it reveals about our changing values. Confronted by the rapid pace of change in his country, Ai became fascinated by Chinese antiquities. His vast collections of historical artefacts, from Stone Age tools to broken teapot spouts, attest to the way the language of objects speaks across the ages. Is this a classic tale of technical progress, or have we lost crucial qualities with the march of time? Ai invites us to make sense of these objects as he explores the tensions between past and present, hand and machine, precious and worthless, construction and destruction.Table of Contents- Foreword - Introduction - Introduction to Beijing Photographs, 1993 – 2003 Part I – Works - Evidence - Construction/Destruction - Ordinary Things Part II – Texts - Collecting China - To Meet by Chance - I Felt the Wind, the Air... - One Hundred Thousand Things - In Conversation: Eyal Weizman and Ai Weiwei

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisToWhom It May Concern is one of the final projects Louise Bourgeois completed, and is an apt demonstration of the enduring power of her work. Rich pinks, purples, reds and blues describe bodies comprising swollen bellies, heavy breasts, engorged phalluses and stooped torsos are presented in a series of pairings on facing pages. Deceptively simple in design, the varying intensity and range of colour within each figure reveals a dynamism in each repeated coupling of these headless, limbless bodies: male and female at their essential, and the relationship between the two, changing but the same. Indiana’s short, visceral but lyrical texts are interspersed throughout and form a conversation with these images, an unconventional non-narrative, part of a broader dialogue about the barrier of flesh, about desire and intimacy. This Violette Editions publication, developed in collaboration with The Easton Foundation, faithfully reproduces in reduced size the original large-format artists’ book, made in fabric in an edition of seven.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMichael Curran has established a growing reputation with a series of video works whose stark visual style belies a deft and sophisticated handling of complex, often unsettling material. In their skilful melding of everyday elements, Curran's tapes touch a raw emotional nerve and achieve a powerful, iconic resonance. This detailed book features essays by Trish Lyons and Jon Mooney, and includes a special edition DVD with six key works by the artist.Minigraphs is a series of publications developed by Film and Video Umbrella devoted to contemporary artists working with film and video. Fully illustrated, and with specially commissioned essays and an extensive lists of works, this series provides an attractive and indispensable introduction to some of Britain's most exciting contemporary artists.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA masterpiece of medieval Arab metalwork revealed, shedding light on courtly life in northern Iraq under the Mongol governorship. Accompanying a major scholarly exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery, this book explores one of the most beautiful and enigmatic objects in The Courtauld’s collection: the so-called ‘Courtauld wallet’, a brass container richly inlaid with gold and silver, imitating a lady’s textile or leather bag, and probably made in Mosul in northern Iraq around 1300. No other object of this kind is known. Decorated all round with courtly figures and on the top with an elaborate banqueting scene featuring an enthroned couple, it has long been recognised as a masterpiece of Arab metalwork. Yet, despite the superb quality of its design and craftsmanship and its status as a unique object, this exceptional metalwork bag has never been properly published. Thus it remains little known outside a small circle of specialists, and little understood even within that circle. Encompassing a variety of multidisciplinary essays by distinguished historians and art historians– on subjects ranging from music at the Mongol court, Mosul under Mongol governorship and Mongol marriage customs to the role of women under the Ilkhanids–this publication aims to explore the origins, function and iconography of this splendid luxury object as well as the cultural context in which it was made and used. It will bring together other images of enthroned Mongols with female consorts, as well as scenes of hunters, revellers and musicians in a variety of media, including illustrated manuscripts, ceramics, textile, and metalwork. By presenting the bag alongside carefully selected contemporary material, it will provide an insight into courtly life under the Mongols in the newly conquered areas of their empire, and will also provide an unrivalled opportunity to investigate the inlaid brass tradition in Mosul after the Mongol Conquest. Objects made before and after this seismic event will be reproduced side by side to demonstrate how the Mosul metalworkers adapted their work for their new patrons.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt was the best of times it was the worst of times.' Maligned, misunderstood and fetishized the 1980's stands as the decade when post-modern life began in the west, and London was at the epicenter of this shift. An explosion of creativity took place against a backdrop of radical social change. London became a city of tribes. The vast youth culture categories of the preceding decades shattered into shards. It was the decade that sub-culture as a way of life reached it's zenith before giving way to it's inevitable scene surfing conclusion. Ridgers documented this cultural moment obsessively. Punks, post-punks, cyber-punks, gothic punks, mods, hard mods, Trojan skins, racist skins, ska, reggae, dub, early electronica, synth pop, acid house, happy hardcore, Blitz Kids, New Romantics, Hip-Hop, Rap, Electro, Break Beat, Techno, Rave these were all sub-cultural spaces with scenes attached in London in the 1980's. Unlike now, subcultures in the 1980's were not casual playthings they were a way of life for their participants. They inspired profound loyalty. They were a beautiful a doomed flowering of the hope for a better world. Derek Ridger's exquisite street portrait photography has captured this creative decade beautifully.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1948, and edited by the artist John Piper, An English Farmhouse is Geoffrey Grigson's careful survey of the old English farmhouse, and its associated buildings, whether made from sarsen, thatch, timber, tile or brick. Grigson paints a vivid and human picture of rural life in the preceding centuries and creates a delicate weave of social history.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Book of Sarah is missing from the bible, so artist Sarah Lightman sets out to make her own: questioning religion, family, motherhood and what it takes to be an artist in this quietly subversive visual autobiography from NW3.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMarianne Grant's story is a remarkable one of courage. She was an artist who managed to paint in the most extreme circumstances, and her works of art tell of her experiences of WWII and imprisonment in Theresienstadt, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. These unique and extraordinary works, painted at first hand, help us to better understand the impact of the Holocaust. Her work still resonates today, particularly in Glasgow, the city that became her home and a city which has a strong tradition of welcoming refugees.Marianne Grant (19212007), was a remarkable woman, and a remarkable artist. Born in Prague in 1921 to Jewish parents, she loved to paint and draw. In 1942, she and her mother were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto, and Marianne took watercolour paints, brushes and paper in the one suitcase she was allowed to bring. Her mother was later sent to Auschwitz, and Marianne jumped on the same train in order to stay with her. In the concentration camp Marianne came to the attention of Dr Mengele, who gave her an architect's drawing kit and got her to work with him, documenting his work. He would pace up and down as she worked, and Marianne knew that she was, literally, drawing for her life. In April 1945, Marianne and her mother were sent to Bergen-Belsen. Throughout the war Marianne painted and sketched the scenes she saw, showing compassion for her fellow inmates, but also using her art as a form of silent protest. She and her mother survived the war, and after the liberation of Bergen-Belsen went to Sweden on a Red Cross ship. There Marianne earned a living making Christmas decorations. In 1951 she married a German Jewish refugee living in Glasgow, Jack Grant (born Jaakov Horst Grodszinksy), with whom she had become pen pals, and came to live in Glasgow, where they raised their three children.In 2002, when Marianne was still alive, Glasgow Museums was fortunate to be able to work with her on projects relating to her work, and in 2004, with grant aid assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Art Fund, and the National Fund for Acquisitions, we were able to acquire 77 of her remarkable works. Every January, we rotate the display of her works in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.This is the first full catalogue of Marianne's works.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMultiple award-winner Paul Colley shows you how to take the step from good to great underwater images - maybe even good enough to win awards. 'This book will arm and inspire you to transform your underwater photographs, whatever camera you use': Alex Mustard (from the Foreword). The best underwater images don't just capture the subject well, they also capture mood, emotion and atmosphere. Unlike most other underwater photography books, Winning Images with Any Underwater Camera focuses on composition and techniques rather than the all--consuming camera technology that people tend to chase first. This makes it a supremely cost-effective tool for improving images; and there is no discrimination between users of different camera systems - this truly is a book for all. International award winner and instructor Paul Colley reveals the short cuts and shows the vital bits of artistic theory as it applies to underwater photography, grappling with composition in much greater depth than in other books.He also includes easy-to-remember reference models for underwater composition: pre-planned concepts for twelve typical underwater scenes, with the principal considerations boiled down to those essentials that will help you achieve great results, time and again.Trade Review'Excellently written, highly informative and well-executed... the essential guide on this subject': Diver (magazine). 'This book could just be the key to unlocking a new level in your photography career': UWP magazine. 'An ideal gift for any serious underwater photographer': SCUBA (magazine). 'This book will arm and inspire you to transform your underwater photographs, whatever camera you use': Alex Mustard (from the Foreword).Table of ContentsForeword by Dr Alexander Mustard. About the author and acknowledgements. How to use this book. Introduction. List of figures. SECTION 1: COMPOSITION. 1. The Big Picture and Why Composition Matters: Aesthetics and Photographic Intent. 2. Subject Selection: The Right Things in the Right Frame at the Right Time. 3. Light. 4. Viewpoint. 5. Image Depth Perspective. 6. Background and Space. 7. Lines, Shapes and Vectors: Real and Perceived. 8. Contrasts. 9. Colour. 10. Organising the Whole Picture. SECTION 2: EASY-TO-REMEMBER REFERENCE MODELS FOR UNDERWATER COMPOSITION. 11. The Reference Models. SECTION 3: ADVANCED TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE YOUR COMPOSITION. 12. Understanding Dynamic Range. 13. Natural Light Photography. 14. Remote Lighting Techniques. 15. Split Level Images. SECTION 4: POST-PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES TO FINE TUNE YOUR COMPOSITION. 16. Rescuing Composition Errors and Enhancing Good Composition. 17. Image Manipulation. Glossary. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exhilirating photographic essay on culture and character of NASCAR racing.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisLumen, a survey of the four-decade career of British-Indian artist Sutapa Biswas, accompanies two solo exhibitions of the artist’s work held in 2021–22. Biswas emigrated from India to the UK with her family in the 1960s. Taking the long histories of colonialism together with personal memories, Biswas’s art meditates on questions of migration, identity and belonging. Her practice has consistently interrogated Western tradition and discourse, pushing past absences, exclusions and limited representations to make evident the entwined histories of culture and politics. This publication details Biswas’s career from its origins in the Black Arts Movement in the 1980s to her important photographic installations of the 1990s and her subsequent major moving-image works, including her newly commissioned film Lumen. The first substantial publication on the artist in over 17 years, it features two new conversations with the artist and two commissioned essays. It also includes a republication of Griselda Pollock’s important text on Biswas’s work, along with a postface reflecting on their relationship in the decades since the essay’s original publication. Published on the occasion of the exhibition: Sutapa Biswas: Lumen BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead (26 June 2021–22 March 2022) and Kettle’s Yard, University of Cambridge (16 October 2021–30 January 2022).Table of ContentsPreface 5 Lumen: An introduction 7 Sutapa Biswas & The Space of Diaspora 13 On Housewives with Steak-knives 23 Reading between the Texts: on Kali 41 Tracing Figures of Presence, Naming Ciphers of Absence 49 A Postface, and a Continued Conversation 75 Lumen 97 List of Illustrations 121 Sutapa Biswas Biography 124 Author Biographies 125 Acknowledgments 128

Read more less

Book SynopsisMinami Kobayashi''s The Song of Jujubes showcases surreal paintings exploring memory, nostalgia, and belonging.Minami Kobayashi (b.1989) is a Japanese artist based in London. Covering a significant period of development in her practice as a painter, this publication coincides with her second major solo exhibition, The Song of Jujubes, at Frestonian Gallery, London. Kobayashi?s paintings depict familiar yet surreal scenes, created from an amalgamation of memories, places, and ordinary people. In her dream-like ambiguous narratives, nature, animals, and humans are given equal status; her realms are symbiotic societies with multiple creatures. She captures transitory and fluctuating moments, depicting her protagonists in states of flux, vulnerability, and openness. Rendered in a post-Impressionist palette, her compositions are a potent mix of playfulness and deeper themes of human and natural life. Bringing together eleven new canvases, The Song of Jujubes takes its title from a song that the artist used to sing as a teenager in her hometown of Nagoya, Japan. It begins with a girl eating one jujube fruit every night, wondering what she will do when they are all gone. Imbued with a sense of nostalgia and loss, the works consider what "home" means and the strong relationship between people and place. This publication documents Kobayashi?s paintings chronologically, from her early works of 2016 to 2024. In a foreword, the Directors of Frestonian Gallery, Matt Incledon and Rollo Campbell introduce the inner world of the artist and the themes of The Song of Jujubes. In an interview with Lisa Wainwright, Kobayashi discusses her time studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, her unique painting technique, and the symbolism in her scenes. She also expands upon her artistic influences, including Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, the tenets of Buddhism, Tarot, and the Nabi painters, such as Félix Vallotton, Édouard Vuillard, and Pierre Bonnard. In her essay "Temperature of a Memory", Laura Allsop analyzes Kobayashi?s recent paintings in relation to memory and place, particularly the artist?s hometown of Nagoya. Edited by Incledon and designed by Joe Gilmore, the book is co-published by Frestonian Gallery and Anomie Publishing, London.Minami Kobayashi (b.1989, Nagoya, Japan) lives and works in London. She holds an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the School of The Art Institute of Chicago (2018) and a BA in Painting from Tokyo University of the Arts (2016). Kobayashi makes figurative paintings that combine intimacy and mystery through their depictions of ordinary people, animals, and places, that seem vaguely surreal and ever so slightly off-kilter.Recent solo or duo exhibitions include I Spell a Word to Free You (with Adrianne Rubinstein) at Et Al Gallery, San Francisco (2024), Place and Presence (with Patrick Procktor) at Frestonian Gallery (2023), and Somewhere not here at Goldfinch Gallery, Chicago (2022).

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisForeword by Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham Cathedral 2003â??2015â??Generations of painters have sought new pictorial songs to sing in depicting Durham and its great Cathedral. I was no different in this respect, until I became aware of the infinite variations endowed upon these historic structures by the ever-changing world they inhabit. This book contains some of my songs, but there are many more yet to sing.â? â?? Stuart FisherAward-winning artist Stuart Fisher is considered to be one of the most talented painters of architectural landscapes in Northern England. Mostly Durham contains 75 of his beautiful watercolour paintings and drawings from around the historic city of Durham and beyond. About the AuthorStuart Fisher was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in 1954 and grew up in Peterlee, County Durham, where he showed a prodigious artistic talent at an early age. A career in architecture spanning almost 34 years, routinely interrupting a love of painting, culminated in 2006 with his multi-award-winning design for the Science Learning Centre North East.Stuart turned professional in 2010 and has regularly exhibited throughout the region, including several solo exhibitions in Durham Cathedral. Stuart was a shortlisted finalist in the prestigious Sunday Times Watercolour Competition in 2013.

Read more less