Treatments and subjects Books

Book SynopsisIn 101 Mixed Media Techniques, artists of all backgrounds and skill levels will learn and explore fun, cutting-edge techniques in the popular genre of mixed media art. Mixed media enthusiasts will enjoy learning the essential concepts for creating their own mixed media art—whether they are experienced in its approaches or just starting out. 101 Mixed Media Techniques features a wide variety of traditional and eclectic techniques, including drawing and painting, stamping, stitching, using photos, prepping backgrounds, working with wax, using different kinds of inks, collaging, journaling, and working with encaustics. Multiple ways to use each technique are provided to inspire and nurture creative freedom in every artist. Each technique is presented in a step-by-step format, beginning with an overview of the required tools and materials. The instructions are straightforward and approachable, so artists of all levels can master them with ease. The engaging and accessible format caters to individual learning preferences, allowing artists to focus on a single technique or several at a time. Readers will not only learn a variety of techniques, but will also discover new ideas and inspiration for using the techniques in their own projects. With so many options to choose from, 101 Mixed Media Techniques has something for every artist and is sure to inspire new forms of creativity.

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Book SynopsisLaetitia Barbier’s Tarot and Divination Cards is a stunning visual history of tarot. With hundreds of images drawn from more than 100 decks, rarely published and often forgotten in library archives, this book offers the first visual history of tarot. This beautiful 400-page book presents—for the first time—a close look at 500 years of figurative card decks created or used for fortune telling, divinations, and oracle purposes, and explores, one card at the time, their iconographic roots at the crossroads of the medieval imaginarium, Western esoteric wisdom, folklore, and also contemporary art and pop culture. Used for self-exploration or divination, tarot has, for more than 500 years, been the most popular and accessible of all esoteric tools, looming large in today’s mainstream culture. Why? Because the cards are inexpensive and easy to carry—a perfect traveling companion and, therefore, an invitati

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Book SynopsisThis truly global and visually stunning  compendium showcases some of the most breath-taking pieces of street art and graffiti from around the world. Since its genesis on the East Coast of the United States in the late 1960s, street art has travelled to nearly every corner of the globe, morphing into highly ornate and vibrant new styles. This unique atlas is the first truly geographical survey of urban art, revised and updated in 2023 to include new voices, increased female representation and cities emerging as street art hubs. Featuring specially commissioned works from major graffiti and street art practitioners, it offers you an insider’s view of the urban landscape as the artists themselves experience it. Organized geographically, by continent and by city – from New York, Los Angeles and Montreal in North America, through Mexico City a

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Book SynopsisA deep dive into the practices of a legendary French street artistThis is the latest installment in the interview series from Swiss curator and critic Hans Ulrich Obrist (born 1968). Invader: In Conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist presents a unique exploration of the enigmatic French street artist Invader (born 1969), renowned for his iconic ceramic tile mosaics inspired by the pixelated 8-bit video game art of the 1970s and ?80s.The first section of the book features an expansive, in-depth interview conducted by Obrist, guiding readers through the artist?s recent exhibition in Paris, Invader Space Station. In the second section we are guided through his studio, which offers an unparalleled glimpse into Invader?s technical and creative processes and the global impact of his work. The book follows the route of the Paris exhibition, with subchapters that correspond to the "levels" of the show, reflecting on the conceptual and spatial dimensions of Invader?s work and his position as a "hacker" of public spaces.Richly illustrated, Invader maps the artist?s early influences, from the graphic novels of Enki Bilal to legendary street artists such as Leonard Hilton McGurr (aka Futura 2000) and Tsang Tsou-choi (aka the "King of Kowloon"), and his relationship with contemporaries including American artist and activist Shepard Fairey and New York graffiti artist Revs.

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Book SynopsisOscar Wilde's fairy tales are some of his most elegant and charming pieces of writing. He produced two books of fairy tales -- THE HAPPY PRINCE AND OTHER TALES, and A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES . They've rarely been collected in one volume -- and never with stunning artwork by Yuko Shimizu (THE UNWRITTEN, BARBED WIRE BASEBALL, A WILD SWAN), one of the modern masters of illustration and graphic art. Wilde's original fairy tales are moving, sweet, sad and magical -- much like Yuko's artwork. Yuko is one of the most celebrated and admired editorial illustrators in the world, and her work is perfectly aligned with Wilde's witty, rueful voice. The edition also features an original introduction by the Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Michael Cunningham. Illuminated Editions is a series of works of classic fiction, prose, and poetry, beautifully designed and lavishly illustrated in exquisitely produced small-batch editions. These volumes intend to harken back to the lovingly crafted, handsomely bound illustrated books of the Victorian era and the golden age of illustration, re-imagined using modern design sensibilities and the most modern techniques in presentation, book-craft, and printing. Each cloth-bound volume in this series is presented in a die-cut slipcase, printed on high quality wood-free uncoated paper, and powerfully elaborated by one of the finest graphic artists in the world.Trade Review“I feel certain that these stories have waited almost 130 years to find their true, visual mates – to find, in Shimizu's illustration, a gift that actually stands up to Wilde's in its unflinching embrace of the fabulous, complex, magical world in which we have always lived.” THE FAIRY TALES OF OSCAR WILDE has won the Communication Arts Design Competition, and won Bronze and Silver Cubes from the Art Director's club in the categories of Design and Illustration."These editions hearken the illustrious past of bookmaking, while also adding a tantalizing contemporary take." -- Sarah Rose Sharp * Hyperallergic *"Shimuzu’s illustrations are varied, powerful, and often evoke batik and other resist-dyeing techniques. As impressive as the illustrations are, the design of the book matches them with elegance and inspired use of color and pattern to set each story in its own frame...These limited-edition crowd-funded volumes raise the bar to the highest level of quality and artistry." -- Karen Haber * LOCUS Magazine *"Produced in the spirit of the books that Wilde himself saw through the press, [this volume] certainly constitutes one of the most beautiful, artistically designed editions of any of Wilde’s writings." -- Nicholas Frankel * The Wildean *Table of ContentsTHE FAIRY TALES OF OSCAR WILDE THE HAPPY PRINCE AND OTHER TALES I. The Happy Prince II. The Nightingale and the Rose III. The Selfish Giant IV. The Devoted Friend V. The Remarkable Rocket A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES VI. The Young King VII. The Birthday of the Infanta IIX. The Fisherman and his Soul IX. The Star-child

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Book SynopsisA wondrous journey with the world-renowned image hunter and social media art curator Stephen Ellcock. Designed to stimulate and inspire, All Good Things is an exciting, eclectic collection of over 200 images from world-leading museums as well as lesser-known collections. In a finely calibrated procession of image, quote and myth, Stephen Ellcock leads us through the Realms of Creation - from the Stars to the Seas, the Natural to the Supernatural - to give us his extraordinary world vision. A treasure trove of 3,000 years of artistic creation, scientific enquiry and pan-global magical, philosophical and religious traditions. The best of the world's beauty, creativity and curiosity in a single book.Trade Review'Perfect for our time.' - Adrian Searle, Guardian; 'Essential. Just buy one ... Brain food. Big energy. Healing visions. [Stephen Ellcock] is a hero among swathes of halfwits.' - Simon Armstrong, Tate Modern; 'A treasure trove of 3,000 years of artistic creation, scientific enquiry and pan-global magical, philosophical and religious traditions. Treat yourself and buy this book.' - Harry Pye, Tate Britain (book of the month); 'A celebration of art, illustration, photography and humanity ... the perfect antidote to these dark winter months.' - New Statesman

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Book SynopsisThe Fashion Icons Quote Series is a series of gift books full of inspiring and fabulous quotes from fashion icons across the generations.Fashion Icons: Christian Dior Quotes is a fully illustrated collection of quotes with Megan Hess’ iconic and hugely popular illustrations, profiling one of fashion’s most popular icons. Bringing her trademark wit and warmth alongside her beloved illustrations, this will be a unique insight into the key thoughts and moments surrounding Christian Dior's life and his impact on the fashion industry. 

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Book SynopsisCreate nine lustrous and captivating little works of art with this unique introduction to oil painting. Acclaimed artist Estelle Day demonstrates all you need to know to embark on your oil painting journey from what paints and supplies you’ll need to essential oil painting techniques. Beginners will build confidence by working on small-scale, still life painting projects designed for canvases measuring no more than 10cm (4in). Also included are outlines for you to trace so you can get started right away! Easy Oil Painting is the perfect beginner’s guide to working with oils and mastering this luminous and exciting medium.Trade ReviewEstelle Day's new book, Easy Oil Painting is the perfect introduction for those new to oils, or who fancy a change of medium. Subtitled, 'Beginner tutorials for small still lifes' Estelle uses small, everyday objects as her still-life subjects, which she paints on canvases measuring no more than 4in. (10cm), keeping everything very simple. Paints, materials and workspace are all covered in the opening chapters before moving on to oil-painting techniques, learning about colour and composition, and finishing with projects to work on. Outlines are provided for you to trace so that you can get going straight away. * Leisure Painter *Really good book for beginners with simple easy to follow steps. The quality of the book paper is also very good (important when spilling paint by accident). -- Megan Gjajxha * Customer Review *A lovely reasonably priced book with stunning pictures. Really helpful guidance on still life oil painting. Useful introductory chapters on colour and techniques which I found very accessible. Highly recommend. -- Rob K * Customer Review *A beautiful book. Very well sectioned for ease of following it from start to finishing a painting, supported by easy to follow diagrams and photos. * Customer Review *I have purchased other oil painting books in the past but this one is very nice. You work on small canvases or canvas panels to learn how to do the techniques before you go on to larger surfaces. This way you don't feel like you are wasting your time on something you may not like and or may not learn anything. Great book! -- Marti M * Customer Review *Table of ContentsMeet Estelle Chapter One: Paints and Supplies Chapter Two: Your Workspace Chapter Three: Oil Painting Techniques Chapter Four: All About Colour Chapter Five: Looking at Objects to Paint Chapter Six: Projects Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWorthwhile reading for those who don't believe in the holy grail in the markets; a must-read for those who do. -- Jack Schwager, author of Hedge Fund Market Wizards A novel approach aimed at pushing you inside your head and outside the losing habits most folks adopt right after multiple successes. A must-have for traders blessed with a string of hot trades. -- Ken Fisher, Fisher Investments FORBES At Ned Davis Research, we like to say that we are in the business of making mistakes and that the only difference between winners and losers is that winners make small mistakes and losers, big mistakes. This book does an excellent job in explaining in simple English the potential psychological 'flaws' that cause investors to make big mistakes. -- Ned Davis, Ned Davis Research, Inc. One of the rare noncharlatanic books in finance. -- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, from Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder Plenty of books recount past successes or focus on how to make money in the market, but what about keeping the money you already have? This may seem like a high-class problem, but it is a very real challenge for investors with substantial capital. -- John Mihaljevic Beyond Proxy [An] enlightening read. -- Brenda Jubin Investing.com The book points out very early that many successful investors have opposing styles and theories on how to make money, and that they can not all be right at the same time. The most important point to take from the book is how to avoid losing money... -- Steve Osbiston Financial Times AdvisorTable of ContentsForeword Preface to the Columbia Edition Preface Part I. Reminiscences of a Trader 1. From Hunger 2. To the Real World 3. Wood That I Would Trade 4. Spectacular Speculator 5. The Quest Part II. Lessons Learned 6. The Psychological Dynamics of Loss 7. The Psychological Fallacies of Risk 8. The Psychological Crowd Part III. Tying It All Together 9. Rules Conclusion Postscript Appendix Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Fashion Icons Quote Series is a series of gift books full of inspiring and fabulous quotes from fashion icons across the generations.Words from a Fashion Icon: Coco Chanel is a fully illustrated collection of quotes with Megan Hess’ iconic and hugely popular illustrations, profiling one of fashion’s most popular icons. Bringing her trademark wit and warmth alongside her beloved illustrations, this will be a unique insight into the key thoughts and moments surrounding Coco Chanel's life and her impact on the fashion industry.   

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Book SynopsisLet your imagination take wing with Designing Dragons, the must-have guide to bringing mythology''s most iconic beast to life.Discover step by step how professional concept artists take inspiration from the rich biology of real animals, using their scientific insights to design believable dragons, drakes, and serpents from myths and legends around the world. The brand-new artwork inside is created primarily with digital art software, such as Procreate, Photoshop, and Clip Studio Paint, with some traditional methods used for the early steps.The in-depth introduction is written jointly by Stephen Oakley, Senior Concept Artist at Naughty Dog and designer of monsters for the award-winning God of War games, and Alexander Ostrowki, whose clients include game studios such as Wizards of the Coast. These two expert artists discuss the history and anatomy of the dragon, the techniques to create the colours and textures of these mighty creatures, and how to turn real-world inspiration into eye-catching fantasy. You will then find thirteen epic design projects to pore over, with professional artists taking a defined dragon from mythology, such as Hydra, Lindworm, Wyvern, and Jaculus, and sharing a step-by-step creative process as they transform it into a brand-new representation.This is the ultimate dragon-design book for artists of any skill level and fantasy fans of all ages.

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Book SynopsisTwenty-five leading artist duos and collectives give insight into how and why to work collaborativelyTrade Review"The notion that the best art can only come from a single artist working alone is something of a myth."—Linda Yablonsky, W Magazine"Even if artists collectives are not actually proliferating more than before, they are certainly gaining in traction." —Nicholas Cullinan, Artforum"Collaboration isn’t, for most artists, a recipe for making masterpieces but rather a way of breaking habits –and new ground."—Griselda Murray Brown, Financial Times"Leaves readers with an augmented understanding of how creative, and others, can cultivate collectively."—Aesthetica"More than 20 artistic duos, trios and collectives that De Wachter interviewed for this illuminating book tell their own stories of how their stars aligned."—TheArtNewspaper.com"Themes of anonymity, security and identity guide the course of the book, while love - that of friendship, romance or familial relationships - emerges as a driving force for creative works. From symbiotic duos to amorphous collectives, it seems that great work can come from sharing."—AnOtherMag.com"Ellen Mara de Wachter celebrates how artists join forces - and in a manner that quickly dispels the "lone genius" theory."—Monocle"In the past 50 years the number of artists working as duos and collective has increased... Through insightful interviews [Co-Art] puts the artists centre stage... The content of Mara De Wachter's essays is informative and her style refreshingly clear. It might be that in an art world, where an artist's recognisable brand is key to growing a collector base, the artists doing something differently are the ones worth paying attention to."—Art Quarterly"Nicely presented with different voices, the book allows readers to form their own opinions and perhaps draw inspiration from the multiple possibilities and modalities of collaborating in creative work." —Canvas (Dubai)

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Book SynopsisThe Fashion Icons Quote Series is a series of gift books full of inspiring and fabulous quotes from fashion icons across the generations.Words from a Fashion Icon: Marilyn Monroe is a fully illustrated collection of quotes with Megan Hess’ iconic and hugely popular illustrations, profiling one of fashion’s most popular icons. Bringing her trademark wit and warmth alongside her beloved illustrations, this will be a unique insight into the key thoughts and moments surrounding Marilyn Monroe's life and her impact on the fashion industry.   

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Book SynopsisThis book is the definitive study of how skin was debated, understood and misunderstood in Europe between 1500 and 1700. It is based on deep historical research and includes hundreds of colour images from the period. -- .

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Book SynopsisWar has always been close to the centre of British culture, but never more so than in the period since 1850. "Warrior Nation" explores the way in which images of battle, both literary and visual, have been constructed in British fiction and popular culture since this time. The rise of war reporting has helped to shape a society fascinated by conflict, and the development of mass communications has aided in the creation of mass-produced martial heroes and the relation of epic adventures for political ends. To achieve national goals, the notion of war has been promoted as an activity of high adventure and chivalrous enterprise and as a rite of passage to manhood. Using a wide range of media, Michael Paris focuses on how war has been "sold" to boys and young men and examines the "warrior" as a masculine ideal.Trade Review'Ever wondered why Britain has fought and won so many wars? Paris's fascinating book goes a long way to answer this question ... Paris has created a compelling insight into why Britain responded to the call of arms.' -The Good Book Guide 'an absorbing and thought-provoking survey of the presentation of war in popular culture ... It is impossible in a short review to do justice to the historical sweep, the literary insight and the importance of the issues raised by this stimulating and enjoyable book. I warmly recommend it to you.' -Biggles Flies Again 'This is a splendid book, well written and well researched, which throws light on our understanding of the subject.' - Michael Dockrell, Department of War Studies, King's College, London

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Book SynopsisCalling all cosmic lovers: The creator of the wildly popular online art platform Creative Carrah brings you 35 show-stopping, space-themed illustrations of wondrous women to colour in with alcohol markers. Thanks to alcohol markers’ trademark vibrancy and blendability, you’ll soon watch with awe as your striking designs come to life. These size-inclusive illustrations feature gorgeous versatility and a range of styles - from stunning femme characters to supernatural gals, expansive portraits to more intricate designs - so that you can immerse yourself in every breathtaking detail. What’s more, the thick 200gsm paper and perforated pages ensure you can proudly gift or display your beautiful work. So get your markers ready and come get lost in this dazzling space adventure!

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Book SynopsisGeek culture enthusiast Thomas Olivripresents a collection of more than 500 color images proving thatgeek art is the new pop art. Characters from comics, movies, TV shows, and video games are a part of the collective imagination forever, so it’s only natural that artists would begin integrating them into their work, giving birth to a new artistic movement: GEEK-ART. In Total Geek-Art, the work of 80 painters, illustrators, and sculptors is collected to offer an international panorama of the geek-art genre of artistic expression. It presents profiles of geek-art’s greatest founders as well as insights on the latest trends, such as the return of enamel pins, the development of toy photography, and the recognition of video game art. Featuring stunning artwork and exclusive interviews and essays, this deluxe collection is a must-have for every pop-culture enthusiast.

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Book SynopsisA groundbreaking introduction to the photographic work of an iconic modern artistTrade Review“This fascinating book was released to coincide with an exhibition of O'Keeffe's photography...and shines a fresh light on one of the 20th century's most innovative and iconic artists.”—Jonathan Harwood, Black & White Photography2022 PROSE Award Finalist, Art Exhibitions category“Lisa Volpe’s careful scholarship offers a new perspective on the work of Georgia O’Keeffe. As viewers, we are invited to see the intimacy of her surroundings through the act of taking pictures.”—Catherine Opie“A necessary, and beautiful, contribution to the mountain of scholarship on Georgia O’Keeffe. For the first time, we can talk about O’Keeffe as a photographer and within the long line of modern artists who used photography as a critical tool in constructing their paintings.”—Bruce Robertson, University of California, Santa Barbara“O’Keeffe had no desire to be an art photographer, this welcome study reveals, but she deeply exploited the camera’s potential to focus and frame motifs in memorable compositions. In ways unknown until now, she used her Leica and Polaroid as power tools to exercise her eye and practice her formal aesthetics.”—Wanda M. Corn, author of Georgia O’Keeffe, Living Modern“In this deeply researched and engaging book, Lisa Volpe and Ariel Plotek not only show how O’Keeffe used the same pictorial strategies in creating her photographs as she did in her paintings, but they also shed light on her life in New Mexico in her later years. In the end, this book is about artistic rejuvenation—it reveals how great artists, like O’Keeffe, repeatedly rethink their work and practice, expanding and reinvigorating it as new challenges and new opportunities present themselves.”—Sarah Greenough, National Gallery of Art

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Book SynopsisWalter Sickert was one of the most influential artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An apprentice of Whistler and close associate of Degas, he engaged with the work of French artists of the time. Sickert in turn influenced many British painters up to the present day. This book will show how Sickert transformed the representation of everyday life, with his innovative approach to subject matter, radical compositions and the evocation of the materiality of existence in paint. It will explore the changing nature of his work – from an impressionistic approach in the 1880s to a pioneering use of photography in the 1930s – and how he returned over and over to locations and subjects, including his penetrating self-portraits. Sickert's imagination was fuelled by news and current events such as the Camden Town Murders and newspaper photography, but also by popular culture – music halls, the stage, the rise of cinema and celebrity. Featuring over 200 images from the exhibition and a wide range of essays by scholars, as well as reflections on Sickert's relevance and influence by a selection of contemporary painters including Kaye Donachie and Somaya Critchlow.

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Book SynopsisDragons. They reign above the eternal snows or in the depths of the abyss... They are marvelous, magical, malicious creatures... But, where do these winged creatures with sparkling scales and fearsome claws come from? This collection of illustrations on the theme of dragons brings together the best illustrators and comic book authors from around the world: French, English, Danish, Spanish, Italian, American, Canadian... From John Howe, designer of The Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia, to Todd Lockwood, illustrator of Dungeons & Dragons, and Olivier Ledroit, creator of the Chronicles of the Black Moon and Adrian Smith, one of the authors of Warhammer, and more... They’ve pooled their talents in a Tolkien-style universe where dragons coexist or fight Dwarves, Orcs, Elves and Humans... The result is this illustrated encyclopedia, which combines extraordinary texts on the history of dragons, with drawings of remarkable quality, realism of line and thoroughness of detail.

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Book SynopsisShirley Trevena is a successful and popular watercolourist with a huge international fan base. Throughout her career Shirley has pushed the boundaries of watercolour and is regarded as one of Britain’s most innovative artists in that medium. Shirley’s watercolours are vibrant in colour, visually inspiring and strong in composition. In this book, Shirley shares her thoughts, ideas, stories and sketches of more than 100 paintings to give a valuable insight into the evolving work of a much-loved artist. Shirley breaks the conventional rules of watercolour in many different ways: through her exciting compositions, strange perspectives and above all, the strength and vibrancy of her colour combinations. In this exciting and inspiring book, Shirley gives her personal view of painting and shares her creative process with us.

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Book SynopsisSince its first appearance in 1931 Herbert Read''s introduction to the understanding of art has established itself as a classic of its kind. It provides a basis for the appreciation of paintings, sculpture and art-objects of all periods by defining the elements that went into their making. A compact survey of the world''s art, from primitive cave-drawings to Jackson Pollock, The Meaning of Art explains the persistence of certain principles and aspirations throughout the history of art, and summarizes the essence of such movements as Gothic, Baroque, Impressionism, Expressionism and Surrealism.This new Faber Modern Classics edition features a brand new foreword by Will Gompertz, BBC arts editor.

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Book SynopsisAnger. Sprayed, posted and daubed on the walls of Europe's largest cities. But read the words and they shine out with creativity, defiance and truth.

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Book SynopsisFilmmaker, musicologist, painter, ethnographer, graphic designer, mystic, and collector of string figures and other patterns, Harry Smith (1923-1991) was among the most original creative forces to emerge in post-war American art and culture. This title presents an examination of the life and works of Harry Smith.

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Book SynopsisArt works created by indigenous people on other continents in European and American museums have become subject of controversial debate. How exactly these collections of tribal art from Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Oceania in rich countries have been amassed over centuries, and how such works continue to be sourced and traded today, is under close scrutiny and claims for their restitution to the places and people of their origin are voiced loudly. Zurich’s Museum Rietberg, one of Europe’s most renowned museums of non-European art, has undertaken an extensive research project to explore the history of its own collection. The essays by expert authors in this illustrated publication investigate the pathways along which objects travelled from their origins to the museum. They shed light at the shifts in meaning of these artefacts that have occurred in the course of the transfers. And they demonstrate the importance of provenance research for learning comprehensively about and taking a critical approach in the assessment of the complex biographies of artefacts. Pathways of Art offers an important contribution to the current debate about the status and impact of non-European art in the global North. It aims to foster awareness of colonial and post-colonial contexts of trading and collecting such art works and to help establishing new, more informed and just, and less Eurocentric, museum narratives.

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Book Synopsis Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett''s artist of choice, provided the illustrations for The Last Hero, designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002 and is the author of the bestseller The Art Of Discworld. Now, Paul Kidby has collected the very best of his Discworld illustrations in this definitive volume, including 40 pieces never before seen, 30 pieces that have only appeared in foreign editions, limited editions and BCA editions, and 17 book cover illustrations since 2004 that have never been seen without cover text.If Terry Pratchett''s pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby''s brush allowed them to live it, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in this magnificent book.Trade ReviewA perfect addition to a Discworld fan's shelf. * STARBURST *Kidby deserves to be recognised as one of Britain's most talented illustrators. * SF CROWSNEST *

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Book Synopsis"First published in Germany under the title Faces: Eine Geschichte des Gesichts."Trade Review"A compelling study."--ApolloTable of ContentsIntroduction: Defining the Subject 1 I Face and Mask: Changing Views 1 Facial Expression, Masks of the Self, and Roles of the Face 17 2 The Cult Origin of the Mask 32 3 Masks in Colonial Museums 42 4 Face and Mask in the Theater 48 5 From the Study of the Face to Brain Research 63 6 Nostalgia for the Face and the Death Mask in Modernity 77 7 Eulogy for the Face: Rilke and Artaud 84 II Portrait and Mask: The Face as Representation 8 The European Portrait as Mask 91 9 Face and Skull: Two Opposing Views 106 10 The "Real Face" of the Icon and the "Similar Face" 118 11 The Record of Memory and the Speech Act of the Face 126 12 Rembrandt's Self-Portraiture: Revolt against the Mask 135 13 Silent Screams in the Glass Case: The Face Set Free 150 14 Photography and Mask: Jorge Molder's Own Alien Face 157 III Media and Masks: The Production of Faces 15 The Consumption of Media Faces 175 16 Archives: Controlling the Faces of the Crowd 192 17 Video and Live Image: The Flight from the Mask 205 18 Ingmar Bergman and the Face in Film 211 19 Overpainting and Replicating the Face: Signs of Crisis 221 20 Mao's Face: State Icon and Pop Idol 229 21 Cyberfaces: Masks without Faces 239 Acknowledgments 247 Notes 249 Literature Cited 263 Index of Names 267

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Book SynopsisTrompe-l'oeil, a French term meaning to trick, the eye, describes a painting that deceives the spectator into thinking that the objects in it are real, not merely represented. To successfully fool the eye of the viewer, trompe-l'oeil artists choose objects, situations and compositional devices using as little depth as possible. A heightened form of illusionism, the art of trompe-l'oeil flourished from the Renaissance onward. The discovery of perspective in fifteenth-century Italy and advancements in the science of optics in the seventeenth-century Netherlands enabled artists to render objects and spaces with eye-fooling exactitude. Both witty and serious, trompe-l'oeil is a game artists play with spectators to raise questions about the nature of art and perception.

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Book SynopsisThis comics anthology collects some of the best creator-owned work of some of the very best mid-century cartoonists: Ditko, Frazetta, Kurtzman, Wood, and many more.The ultimate witzend anthology, collecting some of the best creator-owned work of some of the very best mid-century cartoonists.

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Book SynopsisIn his noteworthy theoretical essay Experience, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes that humans by nature cannot fully grasp life as lived. If this is so, how capable are we of expressing our experiences in works of art? Despite this formidable challenge, for the past thirty years, scholarship in American art has assumed that works of art are coded and has analyzed them accordingly, often with constructive results. The fourth volume in the Terra Foundation Essays series, Experience considers the possibility of immediacy, or the idea that we can directly relate to the past by way of an artifact or work of art. Without discounting the matrix of codes involved in both the production and reception of art, contributors to Experience emphasize the sensibility of the interpreter; the techniques of art historical writing, including its affinity with fiction and its powers of description; the emotional charge the punctum that certain representations can deliver. These and other topics are examined through seven essays, addressing different periods in American art.

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Book Synopsis“As an art critic, [Hickey] doesn’t do what most people want from art criticism. He doesn’t provide his readers with a neat intellectual framework through which to view everything they see, like a Clement Greenberg or a Michael Fried, and he doesn’t really do beautiful description either ... Instead, Hickey gives you intricately structured argument and gorgeous prose ... Reading him you want to forget that the art market is a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos between Ukrainian oligarchs and Qatari princesses ... You want to be the thing you advocate; you want to ride the wave, mount the dais, and speak the truth.” – Los Angeles Review of Books Arguably one of the most astute critics working today, Dave Hickey's multi-decade career as a leading cultural commentator is characterised by his blend of high and mass culture and his fervent critique of the celebrity-driven culture of the 21st-century art world. Following his 2012 announcement of self-imposed exile from art criticism, this new body of essays once again questions and challenges the cultural status quo. With his trademark humour, Hickey has declared that: ‘I miss being an elitist and not having to talk to idiots’ in a field that, he believes, is defined by the commoditisation of art and the self-referential tendencies of criticism itself. This new body of shorter essays by the author of Air Guitar: Essays on Art & Democracy and The Invisible Dragon: Four Essays on Beauty looks at more contemporary phenomena: super-collectors, the trope of the biennale and the loss of looking.

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully designed book is a celebration of one of the world's most creative, dynamic and fascinating cities: Tokyo. It spans 400 years, with highlights including Kano school paintings; the iconic woodblock prints of Hiroshige; Tokyo Pop Art posters; the photography of Moriyama Daido and Ninagawa Mika; manga; film; and contemporary art by Murakami Takashi and Aida Makoto. Visually bold and richly detailed, this publication looks at a city which has undergone constant destruction and renewal and it tells the stories of the people who have made Tokyo so famous with their insatiable appetite for the new and innovative - from the samurai to avantgarde artists today. Co-edited by Japanese art specialists and curators Lena Fritsch and Clare Pollard from Oxford University, this accessible volume features 28 texts by international experts of Japanese culture, as well as original statements by influential artists.Trade Review"A seductive encounter with past and present at the Olympic city shows that Tokyo practically invented modern art." -- Jonathan Jones, The Guardian;

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Book Synopsis'One of the very few necessary and inevitable utterances of the century.' William Morris, in the Preface. The Nature of Gothic started life as a chapter in Ruskin's masterwork, The Stones of Venice. Ruskin came to lament the 'Frankenstein monsters' of Victorian buildings with added Gothic which 'The Stones' inspired; but despite his misgivings the original moral purpose of his writing had not fallen on stony ground. The Nature of Gothic, the last chapter of the second volume, had marked his progression from art critic to social critic; in it he found the true seam of his thought, and it was quickly recognised for the revolutionary writing it was. As Morris himself put it, The Nature of Gothic 'pointed out a new road on which the world should travel'; and in its indictment of meaningless modern labour and its celebration of medieval architecture it could be called the foundation stone of Morris's aesthetic and purpose in life. 40 years after he first read it, Morris chose Ruskin's text for one of the first books to be published at his Kelmscott Press, using his own Golden type. It is one of the summits of his career, and one of the most beautiful books ever published. Few books can so completely sum up an era. The Kelmscott Nature of Gothic encapsulates the meeting of two remarkable minds and embodies their influence in word, image and design. But more than that, Ruskin's words are increasingly relevant for our times. In this facsimile edition, the first ever made of this rare book, the reader can fully appreciate their importance and their legacy, as understood by one of the most potent visual imaginations to have worked in Britain. In this enlarged edition, essays by leading scholars, Robert Hewison (who was one of Ruskin's successors as Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University), Tony Pinkney (Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University) and Robert Brownell (lecturer, stained glass maker and author of Marriage of Inconvenience) explain the importance of this book for Ruskin, for Morris and for us today.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis unprecedented exhibition reintroduces three trailblazing Japanese American artists of the preWorld War II generations. Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo brings together over ninety works by three pioneering Japanese American artists from the preWorld War II era. Despite long careers and critical acclaim, Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo have largely been overlooked in traditional American art history. This groundbreaking exhibition reintroduces their work and explores their deep connections with each other for the first time. Through three chronological sections, the exhibition traces the careers of these artists from the 1920s to the 1990s. Faces & Communities presents preWorld War II portraiture and figurative works, while Belongings & (dis)Locations showcases landscapes and still lifes from the prewar and wartime periods. The final section, Explorations & Rediscoveries, features postwar abstractions. Pictures of Belonging foregro

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