Traditional Indian Jewellery: Beautiful People is a vast and detailed publication covering the importance of ritual adornment, and the popular design motifs featured in traditional Indian jewellery. Jewellery plays an important part in the everyday lives, important moments, festivals and religious aspects of Indian culture. It is not only girls and women who wear jewellery, but also boys, men, temple statues and even animals. The book excels in its detailed descriptions, which accompany the sumptuous array of images. We discover why enamel is used in the north of India, and how ancestral craftsmen pass their skills from generation to generation, especially the process and tradition of enamelling. The book covers in detail the meaning of the use of flowers and birds in Hindu-influenced jewellery, looking through the eyes of seventeenth-century European travellers who visited the rich Mogul courts. This publication is the result of thirty-five years of research – travelling, studying, and talking to many people across the entire subcontinent of India, as well as having had unprecedented access to goldsmiths and enamellers; being shown techniques known only to one family, which have been transferred from generation to generation; and being granted access to beautiful and never before seen Royal collections.

Traditional Indian Jewellery is a vast and detailed publication covering the rich heritage of Indian jewellery and its significance in past and present Indian society.

Jewellery plays an important part in the everyday lives, important moments, festivals and religious aspects of Indian culture. It is not only girls and women who wear jewellery, but also boys, men, temple statues and even animals. The book excels in its detailed descriptions, which accompany the sumptuous array of images. We discover why enamel is used in the north of India, the origin and significance of gold, the significance of setting gems in a certain order, and jewellery’s spiritual importance. The book covers in detail the meaning of the use of flowers and birds in Hindu influenced jewellery, looking through the eyes of 17th century European travellers who visited the rich Mogul courts.

This publication is the result of 35 years of research – travelling, studying, and talking to many people across the entire subcontinent of India, as well as having had unprecedented access to goldsmiths and enamellers; being shown techniques known only to one family, which have been transferred from generation to generation; and being granted access to beautiful and never before seen Royal collections.

Patrick Van der Stricht, author of this book, is an architect, illustrator and Belgian. He began drawing when he was a boy and has never stopped. This book is a collection of his best automobile illustrations, from the most realistic and romantic to the zaniest. His love of drawing and cars is nourished by his equally extensive knowledge of the history and technique of the automobile, spiced up with his boundless imagination and humour. Most of the drawings are accompanied by a short explanatory text or narrative.

Text in English, French and Dutch.

This is the long-awaited overview of the recent works of architect Stéphane Beel. As productive and versatile an architect as Stéphane Beel is, architectural criticism and reception of his work are never far behind – new works are followed almost immediately by new words. This combination of work and word has made Stéphane Beel into one of the most successful Belgian architects of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. From his oeuvre, eighteen projects have been selected that have never before appeared detail in a book. Each is described and commented on by one of the contributing authors. The book begins with an extensive introductory interview with the architect himself, in which – in eight thematic sections – the basic features of Beel’s approach are discussed. The interview is entitled An Intense Order, which at once reflects the structure and the concept of this book: without putting forward a single, all-embracing interpretative system, it systematically endeavours to offer a variety of opportunities for capturing the spark that invariably lights up the work of Stéphane Beel.

Text in English and Dutch.

Over the centuries, craftsmen have applied their creativity and technical skills to exploit the generous resources of Nature to marvellous effect. In this case they have employed seeds, leaves, flowers and fibres from the plant world, along with feathers, plain or iridescent shells, teeth, and fur from the animal kingdom to fashion objects of astonishing beauty, enhanced with the addition of elements in iron, copper, silver, and gold. Such materials have always provided the basis for magnificent headdresses of all varieties, including hats, caps, crowns, and headbands. In time, as the conditions of trade and pilgrimage routes improved, rare materials and manufactured products spread all over the globe, as well as new knowledge, techniques, and methods of fabrication. Each class of individual sported a distinct type of headdress: initiates and adults, hunters and warriors, religious dignitaries and healers, rulers and notables; unmarried girls, married women, and young mothers. In each case the author explains their opulence and symbolism to the reader.

Phase 3 of digitalisation has started. A phase of artificial intelligence has revolutionised the buying behavior of customers: collecting information, the buying process and customer service have changed dramatically. This book explains the impact of the ‘internet of things’, virtual assistants, bots and client data. But first of all this is a book about customers. In a world of automatisation the most important question remains: how can I be customer-oriented? “Steven is a much asked for keynote speaker for our events, always a highlight. He has a unique and authentic style: with a combination of academic depth and well-built cases he spices up his presentations with a tremendous amount of humor.” – Anthony Belpaire, Google Website: stevenvanbelleghem.com Youtube: StevenVanBelleghem/videos Twitter: @StevenVBe

The unique selection of almost 300 paintings and drawings collected in The Realism of It shows the evolution of artist Rik Vermeersch and unveils an amazing coherence throughout his work. His earlier gestural paintings later make room for more objective work, the so-called ‘digital paintings’, nudes in particular. With texts by Paul Depondt and Matthijs Van Dijk.

“‘The marvellous is always beautiful,’ reads a sign on the wall of the Scottish National Museum of Modern Art. This stirring slogan, by Andre Breton, from his Manifesto of Surrealism, sets the tone for this fascinating, mind expanding exhibition.” – BBC Arts “Outstanding… The finest spread of surrealist art – paintings and objects – to be seen in Britain since the momentous Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design show at the V&A in 2007.” – Sunday Times

This book brings together over 160 of the finest surrealist artworks by legendary artists including Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Joan Miró and Man Ray. The works hail from the four renowned and extraordinary private collections of Edward James, Roland Penrose, Gabrielle Keiller and Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch, and together offer a superb overview of surrealist art. Ten essays explore the different origins, historical contexts and creative urges behind these collections. Artworks, perhaps more than anything else that one can acquire, are objects of desire and surrealist artworks even more so. The sheer quality of the works acquired (and, in the case of the Pietzsches, still being acquired) is astonishing and, while passionate about their private visions, all the collectors have been mindful of contributing something to the public good. The collections complement each other to an extraordinary degree and allow us to follow some of the artists’ careers from beginning to end. By uniting them, exciting new juxtapositions emerge along with a fuller and richer picture of the surrealist movement as a whole.

In Western culture, from an early age we are ingrained with the notion that weight in building construction equals strength as evinced even in children’s stories such as the ‘The Three Little Pigs’. This idea of the relative strength of mass pervades our culture as a fundamental truth, but heavy materials are not intrinsically stronger than lighter ones. While time will be needed to remove the biases that we carry in our cultural DNA, our perception of strength has begun to shift. If we look at the historical evolution of architecture – from the massive pyramids of Egypt to the framed structures of Greek and Roman construction, to the lighter Gothic vaulting and eventually modern architecture of the twentieth century – we see a continuous, almost linear progression from solid mass construction to diaphanous skins of glass and steel. This is our historic journey from mass to membrane.

Thanks to cocooning and a hype around DIY, crafts and upcycling, our homes are increasingly becoming warm nests and a playground for creative minds who seek to inspire us through the use of colour and innovative designs that make a statement not only about who we are but the internal space we occupy, the space we call home. Plants and flowers have become favourite tools in interior design. Whether you like Scandinavian design or a classical romantic style, there are flowers and combinations to suit every interior. Interior Emotions contains a wealth of stylish floral art for the home, using different environments and styles, ranging from subdued to colourful, playful, small scale to wallscapes. This collection offers inspiration not only to the professional florist but to amateurs, who will be able to pick up ideas and get creative in their own homes. Featuring the work of three unique and internationally respected designers, this volume focuses on creating individual style with ideas are inspiring and original, bringing an additional natural element and splash of colour and style to any internal space lifting it from being a room, to an environment that lives and breathes.

From May 1st until August 2012, Brugge Plus vzw and Musea Brugge have organised ‘Kamarama’, an international art project in the city of Bruges. The curator of the exhibition is Belgian artist Kamagurka.
This multidisciplinary art project will spread throughout the entire city centre and will show both works of Kamagurka and other artists he feels related to. It’ll be a true journey jam-packed with exceptional art, intriguing movies, music, comedy, cartoons and, without a doubt, a large dose of humour. The main part of the project is an exhibition of paintings, sculptures and drawings in the Garemynzaal, one of the historical halls of the Bruges belfry, of contemporary artists that have been inspirational to Kamagurka: David Bade, Fred Bervoets, George Condo, René Daniëls, J.J. Grandville, George Grosz, Jeroen Henneman, Capitaine Lonchamps, Lucebert, Yves Obyn, Emile Salkin, Captain Beefheart, Wim T. Schippers, Herr Seele, Roland Topor among others. Artists featured include: David Bade, Fred Bervoets, Capitaine Lonchamps, George Condo, Rene Daniels, Wim Delvoye, Otto Dix, Marcel Duchamp, James Ensor, Max Ernst, Jan Fabre, J.J. Grandville, George Grosz, Kati Heck, Jeroen Henneman, Herr Seele, Paul Joostens, Kamagurka, Lucebert, Markus Lupertz, Rene Magritte, Werner Mannaers, Muzo, Yves Obyn, Jeff Olsson, Francis Picabia, Pablo Picasso, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Emile Salkin, Wim T. Schippers, Roland Topor, Stephen Tunney, Luc Tuymans, Rinus Van De Velde, Don Van Vliet. Also available: The Holy Kama ISBN: 9789058563996

The dahlia, a flower that was once thought of as old-fashioned, has surged in popularity over the past few years due to the development of new varieties and an uptick in appreciation from Royals and celebrities. They appear in a broad spectrum of beautiful colours and eccentric shapes, and thanks to their long flowering time they are garden crop favourites. This inspirational book explores every aspect of the dahlia from its history to its sustainable cultivation.

Freedom, simplicity and togetherness: that’s what life is all about according to happy campers Els Sirejacob and Bram Debaenst. Those values are the reason why they love the camper van life so much; they’re also qualities you’ll recognise in Els and Bram’s work as a food stylist and food photographer.

Camper Food & Stories is the result of Els and Bram’s shared passion for camper van travelling and slow cooking. It’s an ode to life on the road as well as to good, pure and flavourful food.

With this book you’ll travel from the Black Forest to Denmark and from Cornwall to the Balkans. You’ll discover the most beautiful unspoilt places in Belgium and the Netherlands, and you’ll be inspired by the wonderful, dreamy travel photos and personal stories.

This book is of course also about food. The recipes in it honour the local cuisine and products of each destination. The featured dishes are uncomplicated yet bursting with flavour, and made from fresh, local ingredients – like fire-baked veggies with yoghurt and mint, heart-warming slow-cooked stews, barbecued shellfish or easy and healthy breakfasts. Of course, these camper recipes are perfect for cooking at home too, with the added bonus of feeling like you’re on vacation.

The genesis, development and life-long occupation of the McIntyre house, built in 1972 as part of a multiple-dwelling subdivision, provides possible answers to some very pressing contemporary design questions. How might one live near the city and be respectful of nature? How might efficiently built dwellings also be spacious and dense site occupation still allow for privacy? This history is recounted through text augmented by photographs and site diagrams, house sections and plans. They reveal a modern architecture on the west coast that resulted from an interplay of both the physicality of the land and a culturally imbued landscape.

On September 29 and 30 1941 more than 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered in Babyn Yar, a gorge near Kiev. This event constituted the largest single massacre perpetrated by German troops against Jews during World War II.

In commemoration, a synagogue designed in the shape of a book will open on the same site in 2021. When opened, the book building’s inner space and its furnishings unfold. This impressive movable structure was designed by Manuel Herz, whose studio runs offices in Basel and Cologne. This book for the first time shows the Babyn Yar synagogue captured in photographs by celebrated architectural photographer Iwan Baan, as well as through plans and model photos.

Yet the core part of the book tells the story of the Jewish people and of Judaism through the medium of space: the Jewish concept of space from biblical times to the present. Space as a leitmotif is understood in broad terms here: territorially, architecturally, psychologically, theologically, intellectually, as well as pertaining to the persecution of the Jewish people. Rather than in an abstract treatise, this story is told through 135 brief and engaging texts by Robert Jan van Pelt, a leading Holocaust researcher and professor of architecture. Each of these reflections is illustrated with drawings and watercolours by New York-based artist Mark Podwal, who is known for his illustration of Elie Wiesel’s works.

Haute Couture Architecture: The Art of Living Without Walls by Anneke van Waesberghe is so much more than a book about tented green building architecture. The book is part design manifesto, part personal diary, and part manual for future sustainable living. One in which rampant consumerism has been replaced by a more thoughtful design from the excesses of modern times to a new state of being for living sustainably and in harmony with the rhythms of the planet. It is the tale of one woman’s odyssey living alone in the jungle finding true meaning in life and manifesting its beauty into a way of sustainable living that may set a blueprint for our future existence on Earth. The author leads readers to encounter a new paradigm by showing the luxury of simplicity and the beauty of small things.

With our consumer way of living and doing things and how the world is evolving, the pace we follow as consumers rather than humans has become outdated and is not the way to go forward. We cannot solve new problems that follow our destructive actions; we have to shift our thinking from ‘me’ to ‘we’. Haute Couture architecture respects artisans, hand-made goods, self-sufficiency, and caring for nature. Being close to nature is a lifestyle of forward-thinking outside the box and is a natural means to discovering ourselves.

Ultimately Haute Couture Architecture: The Art of Living Without Walls bridges the gap between nature and architecture.

Official catalogue of the eponymous exhibition curated by Bovenbouw Architectuur.

How do city and architecture flourish together? This question is central to the three‐dimensional capriccio that displays a fictional Flemish urban environment. Over time, the informal city in Flanders and Brussels has developed a unique relationship with its architecture. This staged urban landscape reveals how historical layers, morphological peculiarities and unforeseen collisions are an endless source of energy for contemporary architectural production. Published on the occasion of the exhibition Composite Presence curated by Bovenbouw Architectuur in the Belgian Pavilion at the Biennale di Architettura 2021 in Venice, Italy. The exhibition and publication are a production of the Flanders Architecture Institute on behalf of the Flemish Minister for Culture, Jan Jambon.

With texts by Sofie De Caigny, Irina Davidovici, Maarten Van Den Driessche, André Loeckx, Leo Van Broeck, Christian Rapp, Kristiaan Borret, Peter Vanden Abeele, Stefan Devoldere, Edith Wouters, Katrien Embrechts, Paul Vermeulen.

Supercars is a celebration of the world’s most beautiful and iconic motorcars, ranging from icons like the Ferrari F40 to modern classics such as the Bugatti Veyron. Belgian photographer Rudolf van der Ven captures the essence of each car in this stunning 224-page coffee table book through his photography and unique stories. Foreword by Tim ‘Shmee150’ Burton.

Change management without clichés. Whether you are running a multinational or just running a family, change is not like a game of Monopoly, where your piece saunters sedately around the board from start to finish. Instead, it is much more like a game of Ludo, where you can have a number of pieces on the board at the same time, some of which are moving and some of which are not! This is just like in real life, because not moving is also a form of change management. With many years of worldwide experience, Yves Van Durme demonstrates how change can be much easier if you do not automatically regard it as a problem, but see it more as a question of the right mindset. In addition, you will learn more about his highly individualist views on leadership, in which the world of games is never far off. Whether you peruse the book from cover to cover or whether you just dip into it at random, by the end of your reading you will know exactly what kind of leader you are. You will also discover that change is really no more than child’s play.

“… Van Belleghem always delivers. Most companies want to create a customer-centric culture, but many struggle, even though they are capable of doing so. This is what the author refers to as A Diamond in the Rough. In addition to clearly articulated concepts, there are more than 100 tips and examples to help you build a culture that gets and keeps customers.” — Forbes

This book shows you how to build a customer-oriented corporate culture. Turn your rough diamond into a beautiful shiny jewel. Many companies have the intention to be customer-oriented, but only a few succeed in making the customer really happy. The key to success is building a customer-centric culture: a culture where both leaders and employees of an organisation are aware of their role towards the customer at all times. In this book you will learn in very concrete steps and clear tips on how you can develop a customer-oriented corporate culture. Success or failure is often in details and in having the right attitude.

The Canary Islands are a hotspot for hikers, sunbathers, culture lovers and road trippers. This book shows the paradisiacal islands in all their variety and beauty while offering the best tips for eating, staying and visiting. Author and ultra runner Charles Van Haverbeke traversed each island on foot and came home with a wealth of (photo) material that formed the basis of this book. Each island gets its own chapter, complete with handy maps and infographics. Canary Islands is halfway between travel guide and photo book and immediately makes you dream of a holiday on one (or more) of the islands, near the most popular attractions or just ‘off the beaten path’.