Search results for ""author thames"

From ancient palaces and glorious cathedrals, to futuristic homes and striking skyscrapers, architecture continues to play an important role in the development of history and culture. Architecture Inside + Out examines fifty of the world’s most impressive buildings and uncovers their structural secrets through detailed illustrations, while clear and accessible text places each building in its context. By researching original plans, notes and drawings, this book reveals the expertise and original intentions behind these magnificent creations, simulating the experience of spending time with the architects themselves. However, a building truly comes alive once it is inhabited, and Architecture Inside + Out also looks beyond the bricks and mortar to explore the principal spaces within. Photographs of striking interiors enable readers to scrutinize the most awe-inspiring aspects of these structures. The reader will discover how ancient wonders, such as the Parthenon and Colosseum, were constructed; learn the colour-coding behind the exposed skeleton of the Centre Pompidou in Paris; understand the vision behind the Brutalist housing complex, Habitat 67, in Canada; and take a tour through the Capitol Building in Washington, the seat of the United States Congress.

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The African continent contains some of the world’s most vibrant culture and creativity, and yet its buildings – vernacular, colonial or contemporary – have rarely engaged the interest of Western architects. David Adjaye, the first black architect to establish a truly global reputation in his field, has found endless sources of inspiration for his designs in the rich – and chequered – heritage of Africa’s teeming metropolises. His life dream was to return to the continent as an architect to document Africa’s built environment. Over a long decade, he tirelessly documented these dynamic, colourful cities, photographing thousands of buildings, sites and places, and letting each building speak for itself in telling contrast to a design world obsessed with photorealistic slickness. The result was a stunning seven-volume work that has become an essential resource for all those interested in the burgeoning continent. This compact edition will make the fruits of this once-in-a-generation record available to a much wider audience. The result is one of the most original, ambitious and important architectural publications of our time, now available to everyone wishing to gain an understanding of a unique architectural heritage overlooked for too long.

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Written by an expert whose fashion knowledge extends around the globe, The Fashion Design Directory presents an enticing panorama of around 150 of the most influential players in the world of fashion from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day – the people and companies who have shaped contemporary fashion and defined the modern perception of style. Engaging, informative text sets the scene for each designer – their origins, their ethos and their pathway to success – while striking runway images showcase statement looks and pieces from each designer’s career. Together, they give a compelling overview of their defining collections and labels.

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The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production AwardsThe effects of global warming are being felt around the world through climate change, and images of our rivers and oceans choking with plastic have provoked an instinctive horrified reaction. In response, governments, corporations and individuals are beginning to change their policies and behaviour – but is it too little, too late? Is it possible to reverse the damage we have done to the planet, or have we reached the point where we are only able to manage the problems and devastation caused? This engaging and incisive volume offers insightful analysis of a range of key issues including deforestation, global warming and single use plastics, while evaluating whether – and how – it may just be possible to mend our planet.

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Cinema: The Whole Story takes a close look at the key time periods, genres and key works in world cinema. It places the burgeoning world of cinema in the context of social and cultural developments that have taken place since its beginnings. Organized chronologically, the book traces the evolution of cinematic development, from the earliest days of film projection to the multiscreen cinemas and super-technology of today. Illustrated, in-depth text charts every genre of cinema, from the first silent films to epic blockbusters, CGI graphics and groundbreaking effects of the 21st century. Cinema: The Whole Story is an indispensable book for all those who love watching and reading about films and who want to understand more about the world of cinema.

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The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production AwardsOnly four countries around the world do not currently define themselves as democracies. But many more do not fulfil the four basic requirements of democracy: free and fair elections, active participation of citizens in politics, protection of human rights, and the rule of law. Since 2015, far-right and populist politicians have been on the rise throughout the West. Is populism the new face of democracy? Is democracy simply the will of the people? Can any existing government claim to be truly democratic? This captivating, articulate volume explores and interrogates each form of democracy and questions whether they remain fit for purpose today.

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The definitive photography textbook for the digital age, The New Basics is packed with technical tips, practical exercises, contemporary images and step-by-step guidance for all aspiring photographers. Introducing technical and creative aspects of commercial as well as fine art photography, it is the first book to assume from the outset that students are most interested in digital imaging - not just digital capture, but also postproduction and screen-based output. It includes step-by-step guidance on the use of image-manipulation software to improve digital imagery, including colour correction and the use of Photoshop as a tool in experimental photography. Reflecting contemporary teaching techniques in further education, it compels the reader to dive in to develop practical skills from the outset. Equal weight is given to creative as well as technical matters, with chapters on genres (portraiture, landscape etc) introducing skills needed to compose exciting photos and develop a personal style of image-making. Full of practical and money-saving tips on how to use your camera in challenging conditions, how to persuade people to pose for street photographs and how to secure sponsorship and exhibition spaces, this book is sure to supplant other basic photography books. ‘Clearly structured and very accessible’ – Paul Winch-Furness, University of Westminster

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At just over forty, David Adjaye is one of the world’s most exciting and accomplished architects, and has built many highly acclaimed houses and public buildings in the UK and USA. Over a ten-year period, the Tanzanian born, London-based architect has visited 53 major African cities and photographed thousands of buildings, sites and places that few of us will ever be able to visit. This 7-volume slipcased edition documents Adjaye’s tribute to African metropolitan architecture. The individual volumes present cities according to the terrain in which they are situated – the Maghreb, Desert, The Sahel, Savannah and Grassland, Mountain and Highveld, and Forest. Each city is shown in a concise urban history, fact file, maps and satellite imagery, along with Adjaye’s personal travel notes and dozens of photographs of the city’s civic, commercial and residential architecture. All six ‘terrain’ volumes feature an introductory essay by Adjaye, and a separate volume is dedicated to essays by leading academics and commentators on Africa.

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Judy Chicago is America’s most dynamic living artist. Her works comprise a dizzying array of media from performance and installation to the glittering table laid for thirty- nine iconic women in The Dinner Party (now permanently housed at the Brooklyn Museum), the groundbreaking Birth Project, and the meticulously researched Holocaust Project. She designed the monumental installation for Dior’s 2020 Paris couture show and, in 2019, established the Judy Chicago Portal, which will help to accomplish her lifelong goal of overcoming the erasure that has eclipsed the achievements of so many women. The Flowering is her vivid and revealing autobiography, fully illustrated with photographs of her work, as well as never-before-published personal images and a foreword by Gloria Steinem. Chicago has revised and updated her earlier, classic works with previously untold stories, fresh insights, and an extensive afterword covering the last twenty years. This powerful narrative weaves together the stories behind some of Chicago’s most significant artworks and her journey as a woman artist with the chronicles of her personal relationships and her understanding, from decades of experience and extensive research, of how misogyny, racism and other prejudices intersect to erase the legacies of artists who are not white and male while dismissing the suffering of millions of creatures who share the planet. With the first career retrospective of her work forthcoming at the de Young Museum in 2021, Chicago reinforces her message of resilience for a new generation of artists and activists. The Flowering is an essential read for anyone interested in making change.With 90 illustrations in colour

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A lush visual celebration of Pulp’s sixth album, This Is Hardcore, featuring unseen photography, behind-the-scenes interviews and revealing visuals. From the mid- to late 1990s, Paul Burgess was invited by Jarvis Cocker to document the British band Pulp, taking photographs during video shoots, live gigs and other events for what has become one of the landmark albums of the period, This Is Hardcore. Written and designed by Burgess and Louise Colbourne, Hardcore contains a candid selection of previously unseen images of the band, behind the scenes and on set, of the four main video shoots made to promote the album. Twenty-five years have passed since Pulp released this extraordinary album, and this book holds up a mirror to the ingenious creative processes and characters behind the seminal record. With carefully curated images from Burgess’s archive, Hardcore also includes quotations and interviews from then and now by the video directors, band members and other artists involved with the album. The book contains contributions from Doug Nichol, John Currin, Stephen Mallinder, Sergei Sviatchenko, John Stezaker and Florian Habicht, all of whom have a connection to the album, the band or the era. There are also visual responses from a selection of younger artists and designers, such as Alexa Vieira, who have been inspired by Burgess’s photographs and the band’s legacy.

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'A global guide to the myths, legends and science of twins ... spans sacred west African sculptures, mythology and 1920s flappers to present a community defined by both similarity and uniqueness' Financial Times 'Beautiful and definitive' Chris van Tulleken The first illustrated global exploration of the cultural significance of twins. The birth of twins is unusual. Throughout history they have been revered as gods and reviled as monsters; they have been adored as amusing music hall double acts and feared as duplicitous criminals; and they have been studied by anthropologists and scientists engaged in the nature vs nurture debate and genetic experiments. Their existence challenges the norm; they are seen by singletons as ‘other’ and regarded with an equal measure of wonder and distrust. Do twins have special powers? Does a twin birth present a good or bad omen? Are they telepathic? Should we fear the appearance of the ghostly doppelganger? From the Aztec creation twins Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca to the divine opposites of Greek myth, Apollo and Artemis, and from criminal gang leaders the Kray twins to the disconcerting Grady twins in The Shining, this visually arresting and often disturbing book explores and interrogates twindom in all its facets in a wide range of cultures and media from ancient times to today. The visual presentation of twins, cultural attitudes to twins and scientific uses of twins are examined within three broad themes: twins of myth and legend and the instruction their stories provide; the anatomical, sociological and scientific studies of twins from Galton to genetic engineering; and twins as entertainers, sources of spectacle and community. Punctuating the cabinets of thematic imagery are nine thought-provoking essays that provide considered analysis and intriguing investigation of the myriad meanings, responses to and uses of twinkind.

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The first survey in nearly two decades of the work of John McAslan + Partners. Making Architecture both provides an up-to-date account of the work of John McAslan + Partners, one of Britain’s most respected and dynamic architectural practices, and analyses the culture of a studio that has made a remarkable contribution to architecture, place-making and the lives of individuals for four decades. A series of thematic chapters includes detailed, fully illustrated descriptions of many recent and ongoing international projects, from Central and Waterloo stations in Sydney and ten new stations for Delhi Metro to the transformation of King’s Cross station in London; from the sensitive restoration of the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, to the new Doha Mosque and nearby Msheireb Museums in Qatar. It also includes the pioneering initiatives for which the McAslan studio has become well known and that underline the practice’s humanity and sense of social responsibility: the urgent restoration of the Iron Market in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after the devastating earthquake in 2010; the Hidden Homelessness initiative, begun in 2017; the N17 project that provided a pop-up design studio in Tottenham, London, after the riots of 2011, with the aim of inspiring young people to become engaged in the regeneration of their own community; and many others. Edited by Chris Foges, with a foreword by Kenneth Frampton and an introduction by Alan Powers, and with contributions by architectural specialists, this beautifully designed book offers the key to understanding the development and philosophy of one of the world’s most socially engaged architectural practices.

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Described by Lennon as ‘the best thing I’ve ever done’, and widely regarded by critics as his best solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band was released alongside the remarkable Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band on 11 December 1970. With first-hand commentary by John & Yoko, members of the Plastic Ono Band and other key figures in their lives, and packed with evocative and revealing letters, artworks and photographs, this incisive volume offers new insights into the raw emotions and open mindset of Lennon after marriage to Ono and the break-up of the Beatles. Following their wedding in March 1969, Lennon and Ono decided that their future musical endeavours should be credited to a conceptual vehicle, the Plastic Ono Band. The band featured an ever-changing line-up of musicians, including Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Ringo Starr, Alan White, George Harrison, Billy Preston and Jim Keltner, all of whom played live with Lennon and Ono, and contributed to their recordings. The fearless honesty that John & Yoko inspired in one another in their search for truth, meaning and peace had a huge impact on Lennon’s song writing, resulting in the creation of tracks that are intensely personal and unlike anything previously heard in popular music, including ‘Mother’, ‘Working Class Hero’ and ‘God’. This book takes those lyrics as a starting point and explores Lennon’s life, relationships and world view during this transformative period.

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This compact volume features over 100 of the most spectacular interiors from across the world, spanning the entire 20th century to the present day. It includes interiors assembled by artists and fashion designers, architects, interior and set-designers, bringing together diverse design talents from Piero Fornasetti to Alvar Aalto, Marc Newson and Matthew Williamson. Twenty short profiles are presented in the introduction, with a single iconic photograph and a concise, informative text; the interiors are arranged by chronological order, with superb colour photography and texts recounting the stories of these remarkable designs. Representing every style from minimalism and Art Nouveau to Gesamtkunstwerk creations that defy definition, these interiors are elegant compositions that will endure.

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Some of the world’s greatest architects, including Walter Gropius, Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, have used their talents to create groundbreaking innovations in American residential architecture over the past 120 years. Though wide-ranging in style, these houses share a remarkable sensitivity to site and context; appreciation of local materials; experimentation with form, materials, and technology; and understanding of clients’ needs. Spanning the length and breadth of the United States, The Iconic American House features fifty of the most important, timeless, and recognizable houses designed since 1900. With pithy text and fresh, vibrant illustrations, this book presents a lavish array of architectural masterpieces designed by architects such as Philip Johnson, Richard Neutra, Peter Eisenman and Thomas Gluck. Specially commissioned and stunning photographs, floor plans, drawings and architect biographies ensure that it is perfect for students, professionals, design aficionados and anyone who dreams of building a house of their own.

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This is the third book in a series devoted to the splendid jewelry collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Following on from Flora and Fauna, the theme this time is the human figure, perhaps the most intimate and involving of subjects. Jewelry has always been a vehicle for the deepest of human emotions: remembrance, faith, devotion, love, belonging and mourning. The museum’s collection begins in the Byzantine era and ranges through the medieval and Renaissance periods and beyond, with mythological figures and biblical scenes represented on pendants and rings. In the 19th century, René Lalique, Alphonse Fouquet and the Maison Vever produced brooches and necklaces that were the very embodiment of elegant sophistication and technical brilliance, while in the 20th century, artists such as Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti joined jewelers like Jean Lurçat, Line Vautrin and Claude Lalanne in creating works that interpret the body in a deeply personal way. Wonderfully photographed by Jean-Marie del Moral, Figures is packed with striking and witty works of art that will charm all lovers of jewelry.

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A charming and imaginative story in the bestselling 'If I had a...' series, which imagines life with a crocodile as a pet. There’s more to a crocodile than its scaly skin and scary teeth – they stay cool under pressure (in part because they can’t sweat) and on a rainy day, they love nothing more than a fast game of Snap! This latest addition to the 'If I Had a...' series is packed with humour and rollicking rhymes that young children readily catch on to. Its bold, graphic illustrations are stylish and packed with quirky details for children to spot. The book winds down to a satisfying end where the little girl drifts off to sleep, making it perfect for bedtime routines.

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A vibrant survey of the trends and talents across the globe fuelling street photography today and a fresh take of what street photography is and can be. A world tour of the very best street photography today, Reclaim the Street showcases work by more than 100 contemporary photographers, from the established to the emerging, from all corners of the globe: here is work by Indian practitioner Swarat Ghosh, Thai photographer Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet (aka Poupay), and the Brazilian photographer Gustavo Minas. Truly diverse in scope, it pays long overdue attention to flourishing scenes throughout the world, interweaving thirty-four photographer portfolios, in-depth case studies, and surveys of the geographical hotspots where communities of street photographers are thriving today. Great photographic minds don’t think alike, nor are two streets identical: follow these photographers as they capture snapshots of people and places perpetually in flux. The global, and ultimately optimistic and humanistic edge of Reclaim the Street will deepen its readers’ love of photography, as well as leave them inspired by the places and people captured through today’s sharpest lenses.

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Everyone wants to find their own place in the world. But where is it and what is it? How do we recognize place as being significant and not just merely space? And what is it that makes one place special and another not? These are questions that have taxed philosophers as far back as ancient Greece. But they are also much more than philosophical investigations. In a world where neighbours fight over a stretch of land, or where some groups can feel safe only in certain locations, place is a living reality that can be either the cause for violent conflict or the glue that binds communities together. This exhibition in a book presents some of the most challenging art to address the function of place in the contemporary world. Arranged into themed 'rooms', it reflects a wide variety of artistic attitudes and practices. Some artists find inspiration in the heterogeneity of the crowded city street, while others celebrate the wilds of nature as a counter to urban life. Some present imagined or fantastic worlds of their own invention, or explore the way place is often a creation of the mind. Others investigate the deep marks that myth and history can leave on the land, or consider how place can be used as a form of political control.Territorial divisions demarcating one place from another, often with terrible consequences, are the chosen subjectmatter of many artists; others prefer to look at itinerant wanderers with no claims on the earth, or to focus on anonymous non-places that lack any real identity of their own. All of the artists in this book – among them Thomas Demand, Allan Sekula, Luc Tuymans, Steve McQueen, Roni Horn and Susan Hiller – use art to puzzle out the complicated ways in which place can shape and affect us. All of them help us to understand the world in which we live.

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An engaging introduction to the work and the world of pioneering photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, Arresting Beauty presents more than 120 images from the V&A’s collection, the largest holding of Cameron’s photographs in the world. Exploring her unique artistry, this book reaffirms her position as one of the most innovative and influential photographers of all time.

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What should you do at Christmas? In Edvard Munch’s Christmas in the Brothel, the artist depicts himself sleeping off the effects of drink, but the Madame reads a book. What links Stalin and the artist Rosso Fiorentino? What was Gauguin hinting at when he painted a copy of Milton’s Paradise Lost into a portrait of a friend? How did a chance meeting on Unter den Linden make the young owner of The Red Book famous? Was it true that no one ever saw Picasso with a book in his hand? And why were the Cumberland girls reading The Fashionable Lover in Romney’s commissioned portrait? Thousands of fine paintings include books in their subject matter. This companionable survey first asks ‘what is a book?’; it explores the symbiotic relationship between the development of books and the emergence of our modern idea of the role of the artist; it parades and interprets the work of many of the greatest artists of the last five hundred years; and it explains how and why books became the single most ubiquitous feature of our cultural lives and, in large measure, of our everyday existence. These paintings connect us with centuries of lived experience: religious systems, symbols of all kinds, education, changing patterns of transport, gender roles, social status, romance, the imagination of children, literary life, sex, friendship, civilized bathing, professional competence, scientific discovery, aids to rest, aids to reflection, danger… books tell us about ourselves, and have earned their place in life – and art – through the ages.

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A laugh-out-loud bedtime story in which a little girl imagines what it would be like to have a vampire bat for a pet. I really want a spooky pet that flaps around and hangs. A toothy type of swoopy pet with shiny pointed fangs... Imagine if I had a... vampire bat! This charming addition to the popular If I had a... series is timed perfectly for Halloween, and features a sharp-toothed but adorable vampire bat as its main star. Taking inspiration from the Addams Family, it imagines what it would be like to live a nocturnal lifestyle and the funny scenarios one might encounter trick-or-treating or at the funfair with a vampire bat as your pal. Facts about vampire bats combine with seasonal spookiness and positive messages about dental hygiene in this brilliant book for bedtime.

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The latest addition to the wildly popular series of bedtime stories imagines what it would be like to have a polar bear for a pet. What would it be like to have a polar bear as a pet? It might be an unconventional choice, but it would be sure to give the best bear hugs... Polar bears are cuddly but they're also very strong. As marine mammals, they can swim for days at a time – that's serious perseverance! So if Santa ever needed help delivering his presents, guess who he would call? Join our funny female protagonist as she wonders 'what would life be like... if I had a polar bear?'

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GOLD award winner, MadeForMums Awards 2021 Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have a unicorn for a pet? Besides being much less angry than a troll and far more conveniently sized than a giant, unicorns only ever eat ice-cream for breakfast AND... every time you get upset they feed you candyfloss! In this humorous, energetically rhyming tale, a little girl experiences exactly what life would be like with a magical creature for a pet – from sprinkling stardust on grumpy parents to sliding into football practice on a rainbow. This book, the latest in the bestselling 'If I Had…' series, celebrates the magic of unicorns in a way that will appeal to children who are allergic to pink.

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Magnum Dogs is the ultimate collection of canine photography for the discerning dog lover, bringing together a brilliantly diverse and cheering selection that showcases the visual wit and skill of the Magnum team. It features some 180 photographs of dogs from across the world, organized into five thematic chapters – Streetwise, Best in Show, At the Beach, Behind the Scenes and It's a Dog's Life. Canine encounters include immaculately coiffured showdogs captured in wryly observed photography from the likes of Martin Parr and Harry Gruyaert, or intimate glimpses of Hollywood stars alongside their trusted, four-legged confidants, as seen through the lenses of Eve Arnold and Dennis Stock. Whether depicting strays roaming the streets of Colombia or pampered pooches lounging in Parisian apartments, these photos brim with affection, humour and insight into the human as well as canine condition. Packaged in an irresistible gift format, this is the perfect book not just for fans of the very best photography of dogs, but for anyone, around the world, who is a ‘dog person’ at heart. With 180 illustrations in colour

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When Karl Lagerfeld was named at the helm of the fashion house in 1983, he set out to radically shake up and update its image – not only through bold collections but also, from 1987 onwards, by choosing to shoot the house’s campaigns himself, a move that was unprecedented for a fashion designer. Conceived in collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld and the House of Chanel, this definitive publication opens with an essay by Patrick Mauriès before exploring the campaigns themselves, organized chronologically. A carefully curated selection of images showcases hundreds of spectacular clothes worn by the top fashion models – and personalities – of each era, from Inès de la Fressange, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne, to Kirsten Stewart and Lily Rose Depp, captured in glamorous locations, from Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment to the French Riviera or LA. Presented in a high-end, slipcased package, Chanel: the Karl Lagerfeld Campaigns offers an unrivalled overview of the house of Chanel as seen through the eyes – and lens – of Karl Lagerfeld himself.

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An essential reference for anyone working with ceramics, from weekend crafters and students to practising ceramicists seeking a one-stop reference on techniques and processes, this workshop reference covers both traditional and contemporary practices, collecting the breadth and range of ceramic techniques into one definitive volume for amateur and specialist alike. A directory of materials, tools, machinery and furniture describes everything you need to set up an effective workshop. It includes an extensive guide to forming techniques, from pinch, coil, slab and wheel to mold-making, slip casting and extrusion, detailed sections on slip decoration, embossing and glazing, glaze recipes and applications. These techniques are explored thematically to facilitate the process of discovery that takes place in the workshop, supported by detailed descriptions and step-by-step photography. At the back of the book there is a comprehensive guide to firing and kilns, along with charts and tables for quick reference. All techniques are examined closely for relevance to practice and quality of finish. The practical processes of running a workshop are discussed alongside the more complex techniques of making unique work. Examples of how to set up a studio, good workshop practices, tool making, and recycling of materials act as a foundation to creating a strong workshop environment to carry out your work.

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7 Reece Mews, South Kensington, was Francis Bacon’s home and studio for over thirty years. After he died in 1992, access was granted to award-winning photographer Perry Ogden to work undisturbed for days on end to produce this riveting record of the house and its contents. He captured every part of the small building’s hidden interior: the rickety wooden staircase; the kitchen with its ‘gallery’ of Bacon works in reproduction; the bedsitting room with its bookcases piled high. In the studio itself, thirty years of inspired artistic endeavour had accumulated unchecked: the slashed, discarded canvases scattered across the floor; the brushes, rags and tins encrusted with layer upon layer of paint; the surfaces used as impromptu palettes; the last unfinished self-portrait on the easel. For some, Bacon’s studio was an heroic statement, a work of art in its own right, constructed to distil and give form to his aesthetic intentions. In this astonishing book we are invited to take an intimate and privileged look around his private space, and to gain unrivalled insights into how, why and what he painted.

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Here is a lively, vibrantly illustrated social and cultural history of the Aboriginal Australians, from their origins to the present day. The book explores the spiritual beliefs and Dreamings of the Indigenous people, their complex social structures and relationship with the land, and their struggle to survive the trials of colonization and forced assimilation. It also looks in depth at their massive cultural renaissance over the past four decades, with comprehensive coverage of the way in which Aboriginal art and literature have become flagships for Australian culture.

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Colour is all around us; we take it for granted as a naturally occurring aspect of all things. Yet colours are also manufactured, and the science of pigments, hues and dyes has an ancient and fascinating history. What were the colours of Ancient Egypt? What did its artists use to paint their magnificent frescoes? Where do indigo and ochre come from? Why is purple the colour of royalty? What are pastels? How many colours are there? Why do we dye our food? Who invented ink? What are white and black made of? What is the symbolism of yellow? From the 40,000-years-old painted caves at Lascaux to the medieval cloth trade that enriched Europe, to the synthetic chemistry of today, the history of colour making has a central place in our lives. This book surveys the history of dyes and pigments, the invention of new colours and the industries that were fuelled by them.

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Photography: The Whole Story is a celebration of the most beautiful, meaningful and inspiring photographs that have arisen from this very modern medium. It begins with a succinct overview of photography, placing it in the context of the social and cultural developments that have taken place globally since its arrival. Organized chronologically, the book then traces the rapid evolution of photographic style, period by period and movement by movement. Illustrated, in-depth essays cover every photographic genre, from the early portraits and tableaux to the digitally manipulated montages, split-second sports images, and conceptual photographs of today. The ideas and works of key photographers are assessed to reveal what motivated them, who influenced whom, and what each was striving to achieve. Detailed cultural and individual artist timelines clarify historical context.With over 1000 illustrations

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Did you know that: • A giraffe can lick its own ears clean? • You can weigh your head by putting it in a bucket of water? • Astronauts urinate into a vacuum cleaner? What the encyclopaedia was to the 20th century, this book is to the 21st. Twelve elegantly designed chapters brim with 321 fascinating – and often surprising – facts, enabling people to dazzle their friends and family with their encyclopaedic knowledge of sports, science, plants and insects, famous people and space. The facts are all grouped together by topic, so readers can dip in and pick and choose the topics that they find most interesting. This well-structured collection of smart things you need to know will be fun for all the family.

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Ian Jeffrey is a superb guide in this profusely illustrated introduction to the appreciation of photography as an art form. Novices and experts alike will gain a deeper understanding of great photographers and their work, as Jeffrey decodes key images and provides essential biographical and historical background. Profiles of more than 100 major photographers, including Alfred Stieglitz, Bill Brandt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Paul Strand and Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, highlight particular examples of styles and movements throughout the history of the medium. Each entry includes a concise biography along with an illuminating discussion of key works and nuggets of contextual information, making this book the ideal gallery companion for photography aficionados everywhere.

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The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production AwardsIs Capitalism Working? is a highly relevant question today – not least to a generation coming of age in a world still experiencing aftershocks from the near-meltdown of the world economy in 2008. Economic theory can be complex, but Jacob Field’s wellstructured and thought-provoking text lays out the debate in a clear, accessible and engaging manner. Infographics and timelines ensure that readers grasp the basic tenets, history and context of capitalism, without distracting from the compelling arguments. Jacob Field presents a measured conclusion that reviews the evidence on each side, allowing room for the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.

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The legions of Rome were among the greatest fighting forces in history. For almost half a millennium they secured the known world under the power of the Caesars. This pioneering account gathers together the stories of each and every imperial legion, telling the tales of their triumphs and defeats as they policed the empire and enlarged its borders. Focusing on the legions as the core of the Roman army, and chronicling their individual histories in detail, this volume builds on the thematic account of the Roman military force given by its companion The Complete Roman Army , and is vital reading for anyone who has enjoyed that book.

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In the late 1970s, New York City was bankrupt, dirty and dangerous. Born on these grimy streets, graffiti rapidly made its mark. Here, twelve legendary graffiti writers – the original subway artists whose creative genius fuelled the earliest flowering of the movement – give first-person accounts of their experiences. Individually interviewed for this book by Sacha Jenkins, they reveal an authentic, unparalleled insight into the golden age of graffiti. Illustrated with Henry Chalfant’s original photographs, this book captures all the raw, explosive creativity of that era.

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The making of pictures has a history going back perhaps 100,000 years to an African shell used as a paint palette. Two-thirds of it is irrevocably lost, since the earliest images known to us are from about 40,000 years ago. But what a 40,000 years, explored here by David Hockney and Martin Gayford in a brilliantly original book. They privilege no medium, or period, or style, but instead, in 16 chapters, discuss how and why pictures have been made, and insistently link ‘art’ to human skills and human needs. Each chapter addresses an important question: What happens when we try to express reality in two dimensions? Why is the ‘Mona Lisa’ beautiful and why are shadows so rarely found in Chinese, Japanese and Persian painting? Why are optical projections always going to be more beautiful than HD television can ever be? How have the makers of images depicted movement? What makes marks on a flat surface interesting? Energized by two lifetimes of looking at pictures, combined with a great artist’s 70-year experience of experimentation as he makes them, this profoundly moving and enlightening volume will be the art book of the decade.

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The 1910s and 1920s witnessed an outpouring of luxury publications that used a hand-stencilling technique known as pochoir (French for 'stencil'). The highly refined and painterly technique, which consists of applying layers of gouache paint or watercolour to achieve bold blocks of saturated colour, produced works of visual artistry formerly unrivalled in the history of illustration, and it became the medium of choice for avant-garde couturiers seeking to stand apart and cultivate an elite readership. Organized chronologically by publication and showcasing a carefully curated selection of the most exceptional illustrations from couture albums and high-end magazines, Fashion and the Art of Pochoir is the definitive tribute to the artists and couturiers who first united to redefine luxury, inaugurating the enduring alliance between fashion and art, from Schiaparelli and Dalì to Vuitton and Murakami today. Closing with biographical notices of illustrators and fashion designers, it offers a unique chance for illustrators, artists, designers and fashion enthusiasts to discover the rarely seen images that defined a short but magnificent golden age.

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The first publication dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld's glamorous homes, known for their eclectic interiors, ranging from the Art Deco to the ultramodern. While Karl Lagerfeld was famous for being at the very centre of the fashion industry for over half a century, he was equally opinionated when it came to interiors, which acted as a private creative outlet alongside his fashion designs. Following an overview by Patrick Mauriès, each house is introduced by a short text by Marie Kalt unveiling its history and identifying key designers and pieces. The homes are documented by date, beginning with rare photography of Lagerfeld’s early addresses in the 1960s and 1970s, through to his final house purchase in 2009. From the elegant Art-Deco inspired apartment in Saint-Sulpice, Paris, to the incredibly ornate 18th-century mansion, Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo (his muse and collaborator Amanda Harlech described Lagerfeld as having ‘a Versailles complex’) – Lagerfeld’s houses reveal he was a collector of a Renaissance scale, and showed spectacular range in his decorating styles. Lagerfeld would balance the old with the new, humorously describing the minimalist decor of his 200-year old apartment in Quai Voltaire, Paris as ‘like floating in your own spaceship over a very civilised past’, and moved from one atmosphere to the next, leaving a Memphis-designed apartment in Monte Carlo for a Grand-Tour themed Roman pied-à-terre, followed by bucolic French country houses and even a majestic Nordic villa in his native Hamburg. Presented in a large, elegant format, Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Houses will be a rich source of inspiration for those interested in interior design, and will appeal to fans of the decorative arts and the fashion designer himself.

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This follow-up to the smash hit Cats Galore dives deeper into the world of Susan Herbert, whose delightful re-imaginings of some of the best-known and best-loved works of art have won her a devoted international following. Herbert’s first book, The Cats Gallery of Art, was published in 1990, and since then her work has appeared in numerous books, featuring cats in iconic works of art, as well as scenes from opera, Shakespearean plays and the movies – all with her trademark blend of humour and ability to capture those essential feline characteristics so instantly recognizable to cat lovers everywhere. In this new compilation, furry felines take over yet more of the world’s most famous masterpieces. They crowd into the pages of the 15th-century Très Riches Heures, zoom through the air as cherubic blindfolded Cupids in Renaissance masterworks, and pose stiffly in royal portraits, before loosening things up in the 19th century as artists take paint and palette out into the countryside. Ranging from medieval illuminated manuscripts to Old Master stalwarts such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, through to the likes of Monet and Rossetti, this second helping of cats in art will delight fans everywhere of a beloved artist.With 140 illustrations in colour

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A beautiful showcase of Johann Doppelmayr’s magnificent Atlas Coelestis that deconstructs its intricately drawn plates and explores its influential ideas. Showcasing Johann Doppelmayr’s magnificent 1742 map of the cosmos, Atlas Coelestis, this spectacular guide to the heavens is also a superb introduction to the fundamentals and history of astronomy. Charting constellations, planets, comets and moons, Doppelmayr’s Atlas presents the ideas and discoveries of many famous and influential astronomers, including Copernicus, Riccioli, Kepler, Newton and Halley, in intricate colour plates that interweave annotated diagrams and tables with figurative drawings and ornamental features. Here, you can appreciate the beauty of those exquisite astronomical and cosmographical plates and comprehend the details, which are also presented in step-by-step deconstructed form. Astronomer Giles Sparrow elucidates the scientific ideas inherent in each plate, expertly decoding and analysing the complex information contained in them and placing Doppelmayr’s sumptuous Atlas in the context of the ground-breaking discoveries made during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. A spectacular, revelatory celestial compendium to the cosmos, Phaenomena expands on and explains Doppelmayr’s original, awe-inspiring Atlas and reflects upon its influence on the development of the science of astronomy to the present day.

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At the age of twenty-nine, photographer Thomas Sweertvaegher spends most of his life on the road with friends, indulging his dual passions of photography and skating. Years of travelling the world together – always on the move and often carrying nothing more than a skateboard – have yielded the poignant photographs collected in this volume, where the skateboard remains a constant symbol of freedom, an extension of their identities and the mark of their strong friendship. Rolling on the margins of society, exploring the limits of life and his own young adulthood, Sweertvaegher captures whatever is happening around him during his travels. His shots take the reader on a journey, showing the highs and lows, bruises and stitches of skating and street life, and ultimately celebrating the beauty such a life can bring. While it captures Sweertvaegher’s odyssey from a highly personal perspective, The Journal of a Skateboarder is at the same time a visual documentary of the skating world, and features key figures such as Axel Cruysberghs, Arto Saari, Dylan Rieder and Rodney Mullen.

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The advent of railways in Britain was a fundamental part of its economic and social revolution in the 19th century, with technical advances that were the envy of the world and chronicled from the beginning through meticulous drawings. Detailed plans were created of locomotives, carriages and wagons, as well as of stations, bridges and tunnels, to facilitate the manufacturing process and the maintenance of the rapidly expanding railway network. Miraculously, about a million of these magnificent drawings have survived and are held in the National Railway Museum in York. Christopher Valkoinen has selected over 130 examples that tell the engineering history of great innovations and triumphs, such as the Forth Bridge, and reveal the work of famous pioneers, including Richard Trevithick, George Stephenson, and Nigel Gresley of Flying Scotsman fame. Other plans range from Queen Victoria’s royal saloon and a travelling post office to a station tea-room at York and modern experiments with a hovertrain. There are also drawings for railways around the world: the USA, Russia, Japan, India, Australia and Egypt, among others, as well as contemporary photographs and posters. Throughout, Valkoinen provides valuable insights into the social and political impact of the railways. He also reveals how these drawings are more than a reference tool for the historian or modelmaker; they are exquisite works of art, painstakingly produced by highly skilled artists, which can be appreciated in their own right. With 300 illustrations

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The techniques of metal colouring, bronzing and patination are assuming a new importance in contemporary fine metalwork and design. Richard Hughes and Michael Rowe have assembled and tested the recipes included in this book, which is the most comprehensive work on the subject currently available, an essential reference and sourcebook for practitioners and all those involvoved in sculpture, architecture, designs and the decorative arts. It brings together hundreds of recipes and treatments previously scattered in a variety of old books and technical papers, and provides the artist-craftsman with a very wide range of coloured finishes.

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Published to accompany the major exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, this book is destined to become a must-have work of reference for all fashion lovers. The couturière Elsa Schiaparelli (1890–1973) was a key figure in Paris fashion between the two World Wars. Following in the footsteps of her mentor Paul Poiret, she designed her first knitwear collection in January 1927. Decorated with trompe-l’oeil motifs in black and white, her sweaters were an immediate success in both France and the USA. In 1935, the Maison Schiaparelli opened in the Place Vendôme in Paris, selling collections designed for sports, city and evening wear. Like her arch-rival Gabrielle Chanel, Schiaparelli also worked closely with artists, including Man Ray, Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dalí, with whom she created a lobster dress. Taking a cue from Surrealism, her creations were hugely imaginative and made use of innovative new materials. The ‘Schiap’ style continued to develop through the 1930s. Her most famous collections had themes including the circus (summer 1938) and astrology (winter 1938–39). In 1937, Schiaparelli launched the fragrance Shocking, named after shocking pink, which had become her signature colour. Alongside vintage photographs, sketches and contemporary features from Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, this volume presents specially photographed masterpieces from the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. All 120 garments and accessories from the Schiaparelli archive are illustrated, along with a selection of her drawings dating from 1933 to 1953.

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A behind-the-scenes tour of the magnificent Royal Opera House in London, thirty minutes before curtain up, led by Figaro the cat. It’s opening night of The Nutcracker, and the performers at the Royal Opera House in London are busy getting ready to step out onto the stage. Meanwhile, Figaro – the opera house’s resident cat – is poised to take readers on a behind-the-scenes tour to meet the many people working to make tonight’s performance a resounding success. This backstage tour of the Royal Opera House takes readers from department to department to discover what’s involved in putting on a performance such as The Nutcracker. Featuring examples from key works of opera and ballet, highlights of the tour include trying on the Mad Hatter’s wig from Alice in Wonderland; practising for a fighting scene from Romeo and Juliet; putting the finishing touches on the Sugar Plum Fairy’s tutu; learning to ‘play dead’; and creating explosions on stage. Including an introduction to a classical orchestra, key ballet terms and basic stage directions, the book encourages readers to explore the many ways they can get involved.

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'Guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck' Neil GaimanJen Campbell's collection of terrifyingly gruesome tales lends a modern edge to fairy tale collections for young readers. Drawing on her extensive knowledge of fairy tale history, Campbell's stories undo the censoring, gender stereotyping and twee endings of more modern children's fairy tales, to return both classic and little-known stories to their grim versions, whilst celebrating a diverse range of characters. Featuring 14 short stories from around the globe, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is illustrated in a contemporary style by Canadian comic artist Adam de Souza. De Souza's brooding illustrations are a highly original blend of 19th-century Gothic engravings and moody film noir graphic novels. Beautifully produced in a hardback format with a rose gold ribbon marker, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is a truly thrilling gift.With 86 illustrations, 30 in colour

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Like every era, the Renaissance brims with stories. In this book, Robert Davis and Beth Lindsmith highlight dozens of notable lives from between 1400 and 1600. They bring to life wily politicians, eccentric scientists, fiery rebels and stolid reactionaries, as well as a pornographer, an acrobat, an actress, a poetic prostitute, a star comedian and a least one very fretful mother. Some names – Leonardo, Luther, Medici and Machiavelli – are famous, but many others will be new to general readers. Their stories, ninety-four in all, remind us that history is more than dates and abstract concepts: it also arises from the lives of countless individual men and women.

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