Will Ukraine ever be an EU member? Why don’t we have a European army yet? Does crisis make the EU stronger? The European Union has great influence on the lives of its citizens. That situation can prove to be controversial. Decisions made by the EU often lead to misunderstanding and resentment. Aside from these controversies, it is clear that the Union today, is the result of a myriad of choices by policy makers throughout the years. A better understanding of these choices and of the recent history of the EU allows us to better grasp its impact, and offers insight into why certain subjects are harder to place. Why Europe? offers a historical as well as thematical insight into the development of the European Union. Drawing from six questions that put main events, key figures as well as the defining moments of the past 70 years in the foreground, this book lays out the essence of European integration.
“Monet, van Gogh and Cezanne feature in a pleasurable Royal Academy show that demonstrates why the Impressionists remain the world’s favourite set of artists.” — Independent
Best known for their superlative oils on canvas, Degas, Cézanne, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and numerous other Impressionists and Post-Impressionists also regularly used paper as a support for works in watercolour, gouache, pencil, tempera and that most elusive of media, pastel. Their practice transformed the status of these works from preparatory studies, to be left in the studio and not shown in public, to works of art in their own right.
With insightful texts by acknowledged experts in the field, this sumptuous book brings together some 70 masterworks on paper by leading Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. Their bold innovations challenged traditional attitudes, radically transformed the future direction of art and ultimately paved the way for later movements such as Abstract Expressionism.
Architecture writer Agata Toromanoff introduces Belgium’s 40 most influential contemporary architects and a selection of their most celebrated buildings in full colour photography. Belgian architects have been doing well for years and have international allure. This volume showcases works from the most famous Belgian architect-designers such as Vincent Van Duysen and EPRICUM to emerging architects such as Oyo Architects. Several pages are dedicated to each architect, outlining their influences and ideas and revealing the designs that have brought them fame. With this great reference work, you can discover the true extent of the creative achievements that lie within the careers of these architectural giants. Captivating biographies alongside breathtaking photos. A book that is both informative and beautiful.
Text in English, Dutch and French.
This book, illustrated with rare and original documents, tells the story of FARM PROD, a Brussels collective of cosmopolitan street artists. About 20 years ago, a few graphic communication students decided to share a working and living space by settling in an isolated farmhouse that would soon become a buzzing hive of creativity. This was the birth of one of the most original formations in urban art in recent years. From squats to artists’ studios, we follow the progress of a close-knit team capable of regularly reinventing itself to meet the challenges of an artistic career that moves from spontaneous art to official commissions, without ever losing its singular aesthetic, its sense of friendship or its taste for celebration.
Text in English and French.
They were reviled, ridiculed, and ignored. Today, the Zurich Concretists — along with Dada — are considered the most important art movement originating from Switzerland. Circle! Square! Progress! tells the story of the city’s avant-garde movement, which is rooted in the Bauhaus and renewed the formal language of art, shaped design and architecture, and also positioned itself politically. It traces its relations to the heroes of Constructivist–Concrete art, such as Johannes Itten, Piet Mondrian, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Theo van Doesburg, and Georges Vantongerloo, and looks at the influences that came from graphic art and advertising, jazz music and dance, colour theory, and mathematics.
Max Bill, Camille Graeser, Verena Loewensberg, and Richard Paul Lohse — a group incidentally thrown together rather than true conspirators — formed the centre of gravity of a milieu that wrestled with critics, institutions, and authorities. Lavishly illustrated, the book explores Zurich as the habitat of highly gifted people engaged in lively debates at bohemian cafés, drifting in jazz clubs, celebrating excessively at the legendary annual artists’ fancy dress ball, achieving fame and artistic triumphs with creative power and a sense of mission. It illuminates the Zurich Concretists’ successes of the 1960s, their at times extremely violent quarrels of the 1970s, and their disputes about the beauty of form.
Hannah Höch (1889–1978) moved between differing worlds: as an editorial assistant with a major Berlin-based magazine publisher, and as the only woman who could hold her own in the German capital’s vibrant Dada scene of the 1920s. Höch broke with the traditions of representation and vision. Her works dissected a world marked by the catastrophe of the Great War and an intense consumer culture, and reassembled it in revolutionary, poetic, and often ironic ways. Höch kept to her artistic means and her poetic-radical imagination, shimmering between social observation and dream world, even in the post-WWII period. Scissors and glue were the weapons of her art of montage, of which she was a co-inventor.
Cutting and montage also shaped film, still a new medium in the 1920s, which strongly influenced Höch’s art: she understood her assembled pictures as static films. This richly illustrated and expertly annotated book explores comprehensively for the first time Höch’s fascination with film and the visual culture of the modern industrial age. It demonstrates how montage evolved in a field of tension between artistic experimentation, commercial exploitation, and political appropriation. A text-collage on the history of montage, in which major protagonists of Modernism and Avant-garde such as Sergej Eisenstein, Raoul Hausmann, László Moholy-Nagy, Walter Ruttman, Kurt Schwitters, Theo van Doesburg, and Dsiga Wertow, have their say, rounds out the volume.
Decorating becomes a piece of cake! Besides containing basic recipes for different types of cakes, this manual is filled with useful tips and tricks to start decorating your own cakes with rolled fondant. Step by step, the author explains how to stack and mask cakes, how to paint on the surface of rolled fondant, and how to create the yummiest cake toppings. In other words, this book has everything you need to help you make irresistibly delicious creations!
This catalogue raisonné of printed works by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov comprises some 90 works from 1981–2023. Some of these are series and consist of several prints. This graphic part of the Kabakov oeuvre, recently acquired by the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, offers insight into the varied work of these two artists, comprising drawings, works with garbage, albums, paintings, and installations.
Through his photographs of swirling swarms of starlings – murmurations – photographer Erik Hijweege explores the impressive drama of the natural world. In this series of images, he captures flocks of starlings as they form and reform in the Dutch sky. Often they present as familiar shapes, such as fish, or swans, that can best be seen when captured in photographs. In the accompanying text, art historian Maartje van den Heuvel compares Hijweege’s images to the cloudy skies in 17th century Dutch painting. Nature journalist Koos Dijksterhuis explains why starling swarms occur, and explains the wonderful choreography of this breath-taking natural phenomenon. This work was exhibited at the Nature Museum Fryslan in Leeuwarden.
Text in English and Dutch.
The rose is generally seen as the most romantic flower. No other plant blooms for so long and profusely, and comes in so many different shapes, scents and colours. Roses deserve a place in everyone’s home, outside – in the garden or on the balcony – but certainly also indoors on the table. The Joy of Roses answers every question you may have about roses: from the history of the rose to applications in the home. The different types of roses are discussed in detail with descriptions of the flower, the scent, the thorns, the inflorescence and information about the best place for this specific species. The book also provides information about cultivators, which flowers go well with roses and their care. Anneke Beemer’s beautiful photos complete the book.
“Bram Demunter is a visual artist and a master of allusion. Visual intertextuality is one of the key elements of his pictures and one that is impossible to control.” – Till-Holger Borchert
The work of Bram Demunter (b. 1993) is intentionally associative in character. Drawing inspiration from the work of Flemish Primitives and contemporary artists, as well as from legends and myths, Demunter effortlessly combines a panoply of people, animals, flowers, rivers, hills and mountains in detailed compositions for his colourful paintings and drawings. This book offers an insight into Demunter’s vibrant oeuvre and his innovative visual language of colour, shape and meaning. With text contributions by Till-Holger Borchert, Bram Demunter and Tom Van Laere.
Text in English and Dutch.
The successor to the bestselling Cosmopolitan Living – 15 new city houses and apartments from all over the world, each one with a strong metropolitan feel.
Includes: Maddux Creative, London; Helena Clunies Ross, New York; Sebastiaan Van Maanen/Ramses Caesar, Amsterdam; Brent Buck Architects, New York; Messana O’Rorke, New York; Nadine Fabry, Düsseldorf; Ooaa, Madrid; Steven Van Dooren, Amsterdam; Pupil Office, Singapore; Hauvette & Madani, Cologny (Switzerland); Mathieson Kurraba (Australia); Studio Liu Sydney (Australia); Rodolphe Parente, Paris.
An old map does not only represent a geographical situation; it also embodies a veritable journey of discovery through world history. In this book, historian Anne-Rieke van Schaik immerses herself in the many stories behind the fascinating maps, prints, atlases, globes and instruments belonging to the Phoebus Foundation’s collection. These objects testify to glorious moments and dark interludes in the history of the Low Countries, from the never-ending battle against water and the Eighty Years War to colonial expansion and the struggle for Belgian independence.
Particular attention is paid to the Southern Netherlands, where pioneers like Gerard Mercator and Abraham Ortelius broke new ground in the sixteenth century. Their maps opened up new paths, both literally and figuratively. Not only were they innovative in their own time, but even today they continue to offer unique panoramas of the past.
With hundreds of beautiful images, Groundbreakers invites you to rediscover and redefine the horizons of your own world.
Published to accompany the once-in-a-lifetime Rembrandt exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. Rembrandt’s powerful art left a lasting impression on his gifted pupil Samuel van Hoogstraten. The fascinating interplay between Rembrandt and Hoogstraten is on display in a unique way – you have never seen Rembrandt like this before.
This book delves into the depths of colour and illusion, exploring the powerful techniques employed by the master artists Rembrandt and Hoogstraten to create virtual realities on canvas. Through insightful analysis and breathtaking visuals, this in-depth examination reveals the secrets behind the magnificent illusionist effects that have captivated audiences for centuries. Rembrandt-Hoogstraten offers a profound exploration of the transformative power of colour and technique in the hands of two of history’s greatest painters.
Image © The Royal Caste, Warsaw – photo Andrzej Ring, Lech Sandzewicz
SCDA celebrates the acclaimed firm’s extensive portfolio of work across the globe — from Singapore and China to the United States. Through SCDA’s diverse array of projects, spanning mixed-use high-rises, hospitality venues, commercial and institutional developments, and residential masterpieces, the monograph showcases Soo K. Chan’s mastery of shaping unique spatial experiences that transcend conventional boundaries. At the heart of SCDA’s design ethos lies a meticulous attention to detail and a profound understanding of form, light, and scale. Whether it’s crafting inviting public landscapes or sculpting dynamic high rises, Chan’s architectural visions tell a compelling story of harmony between the built environment and its natural surroundings.
Magnificent publication on the depiction of Paris by the French impressionists such as Monet, Cassatt, Renoir and Degas
In 1867, Claude Monet painted three iconic views of Paris from the balcony of the Louvre, thus firing the starting shot of Impressionism. This book explores these groundbreaking works in detail, alongside a multitude of other Impressionist paintings and drawings.
Experts from leading museums around the world show how Paul Cézanne, Gustave Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt and many others also depicted Paris in the midst of a radical transformation. Their artworks transport us to the birth of the French capital as a modern metropolis. They grant us entry to the theatres, parks and boulevards of Haussmann’s Paris, where the bourgeoisie parade their new-found wealth. In a new world dominated by fashion and consumption, the graceful Parisienne emerges as the symbol of this vibrant world city. But behind the facade of light, beauty and romance, political unrest and revolution are in the air. This turbulent period is brought to life in this publication through original photographs, posters, letters and satirical prints.
Published to accompany the exhibition New Paris: From Monet to Morisot at Kunstmuseum Den Haag from 15 February until 9 June 2025.
Graphic Design of Scheld’Apen is a colourful and punchy poster archive book; a shining star for anyone who loves typography, graphic design, drawing and creative archive material.
Two artists / musicians from Antwerp worked together for two years, coordinating the poster archive of a former music and art venue in Antwerp called Scheld’Apen, an underground, rough and raw artist centre where many creatives came together in the late 1990s and early 2000s. For each event, a fantastically cool and experimental poster was made and thanks to Benny and Bent, we have a publication that brings this energetic and legendary archive together.
The works of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881-Brussels 1946) fascinate for the mystery of their images. His drawings explore the solitude of human beings and of the sea’s immensity. He evokes the life of various locations around his hometown of Ostend, and of objects drawn from his everyday life. His striking self-portraits translate the anguished plumbing of his deepest depths. His creations reflect a spirit of reflection and spiritual meditation, which he exercises by surveying the symbols of nature’s timelessness. This publication presents 21 works, intimately revealing his searches and studies, and directly provided by his family.
The catalogue also provides an overview of the history of the discovery of Spilliaert’s oeuvre in Belgium and abroad, and situates his body of work within a wider context of the art of his time. It presents a unique interview with his grandson, as well as brief chapters retracing the singular artistic contributions of the presented works.
With texts by (the Spilliaert specialist) Anne Adriaens-Pannier, Edouard Derom and Jeffery Howe, as well as an interview with Spilliaert’s grandson, Johan van Rossum.
In today’s competitive and inflationary environment, many organisations are focused on containing costs, yet they also realise that they need to do their utmost to attract and retain the best talent. This makes it increasingly important to optimise the return on their investment in reward. In a present and future where talent is a scarce resource, what can organisations do to stand out from the crowd as an employer of choice? Traditionally, this means offering higher salaries and larger benefit packages. This has two major disadvantages: it is not enough to compel employees to stay and it erodes profitability, making it unsustainable in the long run. This realisation is forcing organisations to take a long, hard look at their reward practices and find new ways to tackle the issue. This book looks at how emerging trends like GenAI, increased transparency and the increasing cost of living impact reward. Instead of focusing purely on financial benefits, the five-pillar approach outlined in these pages takes organisations on an investigation of every aspect of their current reward system: from evaluating the value of jobs within the organisation and benchmarking salaries across their industry or region, to carrying out employee preference studies that ask employees which financial and non-financial benefits they value. The resulting reward systems speak for themselves: cost-efficient, customisable, flexible and compelling reward that attracts and retains key talent. How can your organisation benefit?
In this book, photographer Jeroen Hofman returns to the memories of his childhood. In his typical style, he captures the raw beauty of Zeeland. Vast nature reserves, wide empty beaches and the continuous change by the tide characterise the landscape. This book is an ode to the place where Hofman’s love for Zeeland began.
With a text contribution by Franca Treur, author and journalist for NRC Handelsblad, and an interview with Jeroen Hofman.
Text in English, German and Dutch
Liberté! Ary Scheffer and French Romanticism takes you to turbulent Paris in the first half of the nineteenth century, a time of political upheaval and cultural flourishing. Artists deployed their brushes as weapons or climbed the barricades themselves. So did the Dutch Ary Scheffer, who soon became one of Paris’ most famous painters. His work still hangs in the Louvre’s gallery of honour. Together with French artists such as Eugène Delacroix and Théodore Géricault, he fought for freedom and equality; the ideals of the French Revolution of 1789.
In addition to a number of art-historical essays by experts from the Netherlands and France, philosopher Maarten Doorman reflects on the meaning of Romanticism today. The publication also includes a catalogue section with an overview of the exhibition. This makes the publication a standard work on the position of Ary Scheffer within French Romanticism.
Over 200 years ago, the Mauritshuis hosted not one, but two museums. On the upper floor was the Royal Cabinet of Paintings, while on the ground floor, thousands of objects of all kinds were on display in the Royal Cabinet of Rarities. This rarities cabinet closed in 1875 and the objects were distributed to various Dutch institutions. The temporary exhibition The Vanished Museum about this Royal Cabinet of Rarities is accompanied by a publication with essays by 30 experts, including curators of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Wereldmuseum in Leiden. In relatively short texts, the reader is taken through the rich and often complex history of the institution. The diverse topics and perspectives suit the motley nature of the collection. From a text about an unusual ivory Chinese puzzle ball, to a reflection on the formation of cultural stereotypes; from a kayak on the ceiling, to a hat that turns out not to belong to Willem van Oranje after all.
Follow The Coast guides you along the Atlantic coast, on the west side of the Iberian peninsula, from San-Sebastián, the capital of gastronomy, to Gibraltar, on the southern tip of Europe. This visual travel guide explores the Spanish and Portuguese coastlines, with countless charming beaches, rugged cliffs and hidden gems. The book is a photobook gathering high-end nature photography, but also a guide which can be your companion for a road trip or beach holiday. Last but not least, it tells the formidable story of our project where we run the entire European coastline with a collective of brave runners who run 100km a day.
Neither an architect nor a landscape architect, Pechet might best be described as an urban acupuncturist. As a keen observer of interactions between animate beings and inanimate things, Pechet has sensitively mended public spaces in Canada and the United States for decades, designing strategic and delightful interventions in public parks and plazas, waterfronts and streetscapes, LRT stations and cemeteries. As a beloved teacher, he has also educated generations of architecture and design students at the University of British Columbia to approach their work with the same sense of curiosity and adventure he brings to his own.
Despite Pechet’s extensive body of work, nearly all of which is publicly accessible, he remains little known internationally. This project aims to correct that oversight by extending the collaborative nature of Pechet’s own practice to include talent from Europe, South America, the United States and Canada. With each collaborator presenting their unique perspective on the work, this monograph will be unusually complex and multivalent.
A fulsome monograph on the work of Bill Pechet is long overdue. This book will be a rich and joyful celebration of a talented and beloved Canadian artist, designer and teacher who has much to offer us all.