More than other painters, the Impressionists wanted to shake off the dust of the studio, and swarmed the noisy streets of Paris, filling the cafés and living in garrets and humble little dwellings on the hill of Montmartre, which still seemed like the countryside at the time, its slopes covered with vineyards and vegetable gardens. Nor did they limit themselves to the city, planting their easels in the clearings of the forest of Fontainebleau, on the coast of Normandy, in the rustic villages in the Oise Valley and in Bougival and Argenteuil on the banks of the Seine. Like their Naturalist friends Zola and Maupassant, they liked to mix with the locals so they could experience the places directly, painting everywhere, even on a boat, like the one where Monet had his floating studio.
“If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Havana to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It’s an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide.”- The Independent
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels is a guide to the Brussels that no one knows. It takes you to undiscovered art museums, forgotten squares and secret shops. The book doesn’t mention everything there is to see. There are already more than enough guides that cover the familiar tourist places. This book goes one step further and lists the places the author would recommend to friends if they asked him where to go in Brussels. Here you will find the 5 best places to eat frites, the 5 small museums that no one should miss and the 5 best record shops in town. The aim is to take the reader to the unexpected places that give the city its charm, like the restaurant on the top floor of the national library, or the metro station that is decorated with 140 characters from Tintin albums, or the art cinema that seats just 20 people. You do not have to do everything listed in the book, but you are urged at the very least to drink a Gueuze beer in one of the 5 best Brussels bars, eat at one of the 5 best fish restaurants, and visit one of the 5 best independent cinemas. If you do, you will begin to discover a city that no one else knows.
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels offers a practical guide to Brussels’ finest places, and Derek Blyth covers all bases to ensure no visitor to the city is ever anything short of captivated. Packed with accessible, easy-to-read information summarized in handy lists, maps, itineraries, sections on food & drink, accommodation, green spaces, museums, galleries and shops; this guide is an essential resource for the inquisitive traveler.
It is a fascinating story that the merchant companies of Europe, established with the aim of sourcing exotic eastern spices, stumbled upon Indian handmade textiles and found these a highly profitable product for their home markets. This process was to have far-reaching consequences for colonial history.
In When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Europe the author takes us on a tour of 30 masterpieces of Indian textiles from the TAPI Collection, commissioned by European patrons in the 17th and 18th centuries. Presented here are outstanding examples of large, intricately hand-drawn, dye-painted cotton chintzes made in the Coromandel Coast, and embroidered palampores and garment pieces made in Gujarat and the Deccan. Textiles made for Dutch and British patrons demonstrate the aesthetic high point achieved by Indian artisans in the 17th and 18th centuries. Indian patterned cottons such as these, with their infinite variety of floral motifs, left a profound and enduring impact on textile designers in the western hemisphere, unexpectedly setting the stage for the Industrial Revolution.
The informative text is accompanied by rarely seen images from museums and private collections, offering fresh insights into these iconic examples. Three essays followed by individually explained catalog entries for each textile add to a greater understanding of an important, historical phase in the development and global recognition of India’s textile art, now preserved in museums and collections worldwide as a testament to the handiwork of the skilled artisans of India.
A stroll through a maze of winding streets lined with bright white houses, where you might stumble upon little cafés or art galleries, is often the highlight of a holiday. In Villages in White, travel writer Léa Teuscher highlights some of the most remarkable whitewashed destinations around the world. From classics like Santorini to hidden gems like Loutro, these pages will take you to the most spectacular places washed in the lightest hue. Find out what makes each village unique and catch a glimpse of what it’s like to live there. A must-have for globetrotters who want it all: beauty, history, and creativity.
In the third decade of the 21st century, we are witnessing an unprecedented exploration of female sexual power, while on the other hand reactionary cultural forces contrive to keep women as defenceless as possible. In this context, the work of photographer Alejandra Guerrero can be understood as a clarion call. Hers is a rarefied visual art that marks a turning point for female sexuality in erotica, her eloquent tableaux revealing the intricate ways in which women exert their erotic power. Here we see a future in which women dictate raw, yet refined desires. Each moment comes from the erotic fever dreams of the participants and the desires of the woman behind the camera.
Guerrero grew up against a backdrop of sleek automobiles. As a child she would sit in the driver’s seat of her mother’s Mercedes and dream of one day being in control of such an elegant machine. Her father was a mechanical engineer whose hobby was fixing up cool cars, and she would watch him at work, taking in the details of fins and fenders. It sparked a fascination, which became an adult passion, which eventually inspired an entire body of work. Auto Erotica is Guerrero’s second monograph with Circa and follows Wicked Women down the same electrifying road.
Biophilic Visions: The Conceptual Works of Ward | Blake Architects represents a large cross-section of the firm’s work, from its beginnings to the present day. While most monographs showcase built work, Biophilic Visions explores Ward | Blake Architects’ unbuilt projects, giving them a new life in print. These 24 projects are testament to the quest architects face in pursuing designs to fruition and keeping the concepts alive in the face of economic, sociocultural, and architectural adversity.
Based in Wyoming, Ward | Blake Architects works across the United States and beyond. Each of its projects are carefully designed for its location, rich in materials and detail, and embedded with the firm’s approach to biophilic design. Paying attention to views, natural daylighting, healthy materials, and mechanical systems, the architects create buildings and spaces that are not only respectful toward nature and their extraordinary settings, but also to the health and wellness of their occupants.
Biophilic Visions is an invaluable source of thought and creative ideas for those who appreciate modernist design, biophilic solutions, and ingenuity. Illustrated with architectural renders, elevations, and plans, each project is accompanied by an insightful description of the design process and solutions, and the architects’ reevaluation of the unbuilt work.
Over the course of six decades, the American artist William Harper (b. 1944) has conjured a body of work unique in the realm of jewelry. Masterfully crafted in enamel and gold, his pieces explore multiple realms – from ancient mythology to personal iconography – and draw on influences such as African sculpture, medieval art, and modernist dance. Harper has nonetheless created an oeuvre that is instantly recognizable, branching into formats including paintings, ornamented casks, artist’s books, and more. Bizarre Beauty, the definitive study of Harper and his work, includes a full biography by co-editor Glenn Adamson, as well as thematic essays and primary texts. A visual feast, the book provides an intimate look at this brilliantly imaginative artist.
All the World’s a Stage grants an in-depth insight into the fascinating oeuvre of the Israeli artist Attai Chen (1979–2023). The series of jewelry presented in the book take a poetical look at the perpetual becoming and passing of life and of things, reflecting the complexity of these existential themes, at times with humor, other times with foreboding. In 2022 the artist himself described it thus: “I was always fascinated by the endless cyclical flow of things, be they in nature or in the man-made world; the movement of growth aimed at the fleeting moment of its realization, the consummation of this moment, followed by decay and finally a new beginning.”
Text in English and German.
Always New: The Posters of Jules Chéret highlights the role that French artist Jules Chéret (1836–1932) played in transforming the illustrated poster into a form of ephemeral art that embraced the public’s interest in novelty and rapid change during the 19th century. Recognized as the father of the poster, Chéret was one of the first artists to bring colorful, large-scale advertisements to the streets of Paris. People strolling down the boulevards were captivated not only by Chéret’s vibrant images, but also by how frequently new designs appeared. Chéret’s printmaking innovations allowed him to produce astonishing numbers of posters rapidly and inexpensively enough to publicize the latest pleasures the city had to offer. Drawing from the largest collection of Chéret posters in the United States, the book features over 100 works that span the artist’s career and includes both his most celebrated and lesser-known images. Always New brings Chéret into focus as a master of his medium, an artist who celebrated the ephemeral nature of posters and shaped the way they were created and experienced.
This beautifully illustrated monograph chronicles the architecture of David C. Hovey, FAIA, and his influence on the discipline, as well as the story of his life and career. David Hovey founded Optima in 1978, with the goal of reinventing multifamily housing by combining development and design in a single company. Over the forty-plus years the company has existed, Hovey has built nearly 6,000 residential units. In the process, he has elevated the design of a building type that has, with a few exceptions, been left to developers to produce indifferent work. He challenges the market with something better, something worthy of enfolding families and individuals. Hovey is a modernist, steadfast in his belief in the future, in technology, in material honesty, in structural expression, and in architecture’s ability to improve the lives of people. His work has captured attention, winning critical acclaim as well as many national and regional awards for architecture. The dozen representative projects in this book range from single-family homes to towers and from the company’s early years to the present. Also showcased is Hovey’s work as an abstract sculptor, whose monumental work is installed at some of the multifamily projects examined here. A serious art collector of mostly twentieth-century art, Hovey’s acquisitions are detailed in an illustrated catalog at the end of the book.
Los Angeles has so much to offer, and this guide helps you to choose where to start when discovering this beautiful city. Where are the best farmers’ markets? Which street foods are not to be missed? What are the liveliest places to go dancing? What are some unlikely places to spot celebrities? Which art galleries are worth a visit? In The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles, Andrea Richards shares 500 must-know addresses in one of the coolest cities in the United States. It is an affectionate guide to the City of Angels that avoids the touristy places and points out the urban details you are likely to miss. From the best outdoor concert venues to the most beautiful country escapes, this guide is the perfect companion visitors who want to make the most of their stay and residents who want to get to know their city even better.
Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Toronto, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Vancouver and many more. Discover the series: the500hiddensecrets.com
“The 230 beautifully rendered black & white images in the book provide a compelling tour of America’s wild places and national parks, from Yosemite and Yellowstone to Death Valley and Utah’s Canyonlands to the Hudson Valley in New York and beyond.” — Black & White Photography
“From towering redwoods in California to the remote canyons of Utah, his work shows us not just what these places look like, but what they feel like to those who dare to go.” — About Photography
“Ortner’s use of black-and-white film and large-format cameras for Visions of Paradise unveils the true essence of the natural world. By peeling away color, he forces us to immerse ourselves more deeply and see anew America’s breathtaking sites through the purified language of light and shadow, form and texture, shape and pattern…” — VIE Magazine
“… a photographic masterpiece celebrating the extraordinary majesty and rich legacy of America’s wild places, as seen through the eyes of one of the country’s foremost wilderness photographers, Jon Ortner, and conveyed through the transcendent medium of black-and-white film.” — Dodho Magazine
Visions of Paradise: American Wilderness is a singular, timeless publication—a photographic tour de force celebrating the extraordinary majesty and rich legacy of America’s wild places, as seen through the eyes of one of the country’s foremost wilderness photographers, Jon Ortner, and conveyed through the transcendent medium of black-and-white film. Ortner has always been fascinated with the natural world, particularly as an avid hiker in the American wilderness. This luxurious book collects in a large format his inspiring landscape images, forming a passionate tribute to the American wilderness. In this sensational portfolio of 200 black-and-white images, Ortner has rediscovered and reinterpreted the compelling beauty of many of his most cherished wilderness locations with remarkable portrayals of their sublime, dramatic, tranquil, and transcendent aspects. Join Ortner as he guides us through his visions of paradise.
In the 1960s and 1970s, a generation of young Americans rejected the promise of prosperity and the suburban dream embraced by their parents. Furious about the war in Vietnam, fighting for civil rights at home, and eagerly exploring the effects of psychedelic drugs, the delights of free love, and the mystical teachings of eastern religions, thousands followed the advice to “turn on, tune in, drop out,” bringing about a counterculture in the process. For many American jewelers, these events and values found their way into the studio, as well as affecting how they lived, worked, and loved. Jewelers, like other studio craftspeople, rode the wave of popularity for the hand-made and authentic that was at the heart of the counterculture.
In Flux is the story of how their jewelry contributed to the raucous, contradictory, and enthusiastic clamour for a new kind of society that made the 1960s and 1970s so extraordinary.
Magritte in 400 images offers a selection of the most iconic paintings from the master Surrealist, René Magritte, along with a multitude of perhaps less well-known, but no less exciting jewels from his expansive oeuvre. The novel choice of works will surprise and delight the reader as they continue to uncover ever more facets of the celebrated painter, from his gouaches to his painted bottles and much more. Spanning seven chapters, this book brings together the myriad aspects of Magritte’s pictorial vision. Beginning with his first forays into abstract painting in the 1920s, navigating his search for solace in his Sunlit Period, as well as his brittle période vache and moving on to his Surrealist masterpieces of the 1950s and 1960s, it gently guides the reader through Magritte’s world. Each chapter opens with a summary of the artistic stakes at play during that period and Magritte’s place in them, immersing the reader in the contemporary artistic milieu. The 400 reproductions of Magritte’s work are complemented by a unique selection of historical photographs. Alive with images and information, this compact gem is a must-have for all art enthusiasts and connoisseurs.
“Bruce Springsteen in All His Rock Star Glory.” —Janet Macoska, The Daily Beast
“Two careers were born on that cold night in 1974. Macoska would blossom into one of the most notable rock ‘n’ roll photographers of the last 50 years. And Springsteen was on his way to becoming The Boss.” —Jay Crawford and Meg Hambach, wkyc3
“…Live In The Heartland covers almost five decades of touring from The Boss, and also includes set-lists and corresponding editorial content. The majority of the photos are previously unseen.” —Classic Rock Magazine
“There’s only one boss of rock ‘n’ roll.” —Tria Wen, Reader’s Digest
“… an energetic and moving visual tour that records the romance between The Boss and the Cleveland stages.” —GQ Mexico
Five decades of blue-jeans, down-to-earth rock ‘n’ roll. Five decades of poetic, authentic performances, political commentary, global tours and even a Broadway show. Bruce Springsteen hasn’t just left an impact on the surface of modern music, he helped shape its foundations.
From the early beginnings in 1974 to the seminal Born in the USA – one of the best-selling albums of all time – to the 2016 River Tour, the highest grossing tour of the year, Springsteen has a truly timeless appeal, captured here by lauded rock photographer, Janet Macoska. Macoska charts Springsteen through the ages. Through her lens we witness his enduring energy on the stage, from 1974 to 2016. Here is Springsteen at his finest: a down-to-earth superstar, whose powerful performances stand the test of time.
“Bruce would rip his heart out and give it to his audience. He put everything into his performance. He was all over the stage, and the whole rest of the band was in lockstep, complimenting that energy. It was going out to the audience in bundles. We were sending it back , too, and that’s really electric. That energy, those visuals? Photographers love that. It’s perfect to have something like that to photograph.” – Janet Macoska
Everett Fahy’s writings are of fundamental importance to the study of Tuscan Renaissance painting from the late 14th to the 16th century. An endeavor that lasted 50 years, starting with his 1965 essay on Piero di Cosimo and ending with his contributions for the 2015 Florentine exhibition on the same artist. In between Fahy wrote on some of the most acclaimed and loved artists (from Beato Angelico to Botticelli, from Ghirlandaio to the young Michelangelo), but also on lesser known masters such as Lorenzo di Nicolò, Spinello Aretino, the Master of the Campana panels, the Master of the Fiesole Adoration of the Magi, etc., and through his pioneering studies rediscovered minor artistic schools, such as the Lucca school. Fahy reconstruction of Fra Bartolomeo’s early career is considered a classic of art historiography.
With texts in English (36), French (1), and Italian (10).
Mohandas K. Gandhi has been described as ‘an artist of non-violence,’ crafting as he did a set of practices of the self and politics that earned him the mantle of Mahatma, ‘the great soul.’ His philosophy and praxis of satyagraha, non-violent civil disobedience, has been analyzed extensively. But is satyagraha also an aesthetic regime, with practices akin to a work of art? Is Gandhi, then, an artist of disobedience? Sumathi Ramaswamy explores these questions with the help of India’s modern and contemporary artists who have over the past century sought out the Mahatma as their muse and invested in him across a wide range of media from painting and sculpture to video installation and digital production. At a time when Gandhi is a hallowed but hollow presence, why have they lavished so much attention on him? A hundred and fifty years after his birth, Gandhi is hyper visible across the Indian landscape from tea stalls and government offices to museums and galleries. This is ironical given that the Mahatma appeared to have had little time for the visual arts or for artists for that matter. Yet fascinatingly, the visual artist has emerged as Gandhi’s conscience-keeper, reminding others of the meaning of the Mahatma in his own time and today. In so doing, these artists also reveal why this most disobedient of ‘modern’ icons has grabbed their attention, resulting in a veritable art of disobedience as an homage to one of the twentieth century’s great prophets of disobedience.
Peter Hinssen’s radical long-term view on organizing and innovation is as fascinating as it is insightful. This is a great read about the future of business, aimed at those who want to witness the potential of this age of disruption. Adam Pisoni, CEO at Abl Schools, Co-founder of Responsive.org and Co-founder of Yammer. “Peter Hinssen has done it again! The Day After Tomorrow is a provocative and inspiring book that will challenge you, educate you and open your eyes to possibilities that you never thought existed. A must-read for any organization that wants to prepare for disruptive changes.” Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. “Many futurists entice us with fanciful notions. Peter Hinssen, however, manages the impossible, combining a stunning clear vision of the future with a compelling but concrete framework to act on now.” Eddie Obeng, Professor at Pentacle The Virtual Business School For today s organizations, our exponentially changing world has come with great consequences. In this book, Peter Hinssen tells the story of the pioneers who managed to adapt to those changes and who moved beyond today and even tomorrow in their approach to innovation. In doing so, they were able to change the course of entire industries. Peter’s book focuses on the business models of these pioneers, on the organizational culture, the talent, the mindset and the technology we should tap into in order to maximize our chances for survival in the ‘Day After Tomorrow’. It will shift your perspective on your future, on the future or your company and even that of your grandchildren.
The uniqueness of Silke Trekel (*1969) lies in the melding of artisan skills and awareness with a particular sensibility for the character and texture of the inherent quality of her materials. Whether industrial or organic, they play a crucial role in her designs. The many travels of the Halle-educated artist broadened her perspectives, validating them in a concept of jewelry fed by universal symbolic metaphors of form. The publication gives a first in-depth account of her development, of this dialog between abstraction and ornamental tradition. In fact Trekel invites us to rethink, for her work unites motifs and guiding concepts, which galvanized 20th century art – between sculptural spatial configurations and signs held in suspension. Trekel takes an active part in this story.
Text in English and German.
Published to accompany exhibitions at Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, Munich, from 5 March-17 April 2021, at Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau from 12 September-10 November 2021, and Galerie Viceversa, Lausanne from February 12–March 12, 2022
Architect Ralph Johnson’s work spans a magnificent range of award-winning projects in terms of both location and program types. Architecture in a Rapidly Changing World is a comprehensive two-volume monograph showcasing Johnson’s work—both built and unbuilt—from throughout his career, beginning at architecture school and culminating with his role as Principal and Global Design Director at Perkins&Will.
Volume 1 – Creative Journey opens with an introductory essay by Ned Cramer, and features Johnson’s highly detailed sketches and drawings from a selection of his projects from 1971 through 2012. Volume 2 – Recent Work presents 15 of Johnson’s projects with Perkins&Will from 2012 to 2024. An interview between Cramer and Johnson explores the architect’s design philosophy, and an essay by Thomas Fisher delves deeper into Johnson’s work. These recent projects are illustrated with photography, site plans, and drawings, and accompanied by insightful narratives. Varying in typology and location, the projects include Shanghai Nature Museum, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Northtown Library and Housing, and CTA Damen Green Line Station, among others.
The significance of these projects is underpinned by Johnson’s deep-held respect for humanistic values, and his emphasis on process, rather than preconceived product, which allows him to respond to diverse cultures and urban conditions. This distinguished monograph is a comprehensive account of Johnson’s enduring career and his impressive folio of work. It sits comfortably in the heady realm of Images’ highly regarded 21st Century Masters series, which celebrates international juggernauts in the fields of architecture and design