Everything is black and white. Takamatsu’s hand-painted monochrome images are created using a mixture of watercolor and opaque white pigments in gouache. “White and black metaphorically express the ambiguity of positive and negative, good and evil, race and religion,” the artist writes. After meticulously painting multiple gouache layers, Takamatsu colors each individual pixel of the object a different shade of grey, resulting in an astonishing sense of depth and surrealism. “His hologram-like, female characters look digitized,” writes Hi-Fructose, “though they’re executed entirely by hand.” This extreme attention to detail allows the viewer to experience Takamatsu’s fantastical depictions of Japanese women in an immersive presentation.

On the whole, when one thinks of seventeenth-century sculpture in Rome, one has in mind the wonderful and famous works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, such as the Fountain of the Rivers or The Ecstasy of St. Theresa. The very idea of Roman baroque is commonly identified with the century’s great genius. And indeed, the influence of Bernini’s work on the sculpture and art in general of the period was, especially in Rome, decisive. However, this domination spread only during the second half of the seventeenth century, and less unequivocally than one might suppose.Other great sculptors, with personalities that were often very different form Bernini’s, contributed to making the extraordinary proliferation of Roman statuary extremely complex and varied at that time.

This book is aimed especially at students and museum visitors who would like to learn more about the topic and discusses the art in a straightforward and strictly chronological fashion. The narrative begins in the early decades of the seventeenth century with sculpture created by a motley and conspicuously cosmopolitan group of artists. Later, with the growing success of the great masters, commissions began to gravitate around Bernini, Alessandro Algardi, and François Duquesnoy. A new approach to Antiquity went hand in hand with a marked predilection for striking chromatic effects, borrowed from Venetian painting, and a desire to make a strong impact and achieve a particular tone, often with results of surprising originality.

Taking the most up-to-date and best founded historiographic observations on the subject we have tried to highlight the workshop relationships between the great masters and the ‘giovani,’ their pupils or occasional assistants, and in this way put into relief the experimental approach of some of these apprentices, such as Melchirro Caffà or Antonio Raggi, or the ability of certain others, for instance Ercole Ferrata, to fuse the most diverse influences. The book thus aims to show how marble and travertine were used throughout the century to create a whole army of statues that were positioned in the open and in churches, lending modern Rome its truly incomparable new face.

Art lovers well know the works of the different groups of peoples generally referred to as ‘Guro’ who live in the centre of the Ivory Coast. Close to the Wan, Baule, Yaure, and Bete, the Guro have maintained close contacts with their neighbours, and reciprocal influences are apparent in their various artistic creations. Masks have a particular importance that goes well beyond the value attributed to them for their aesthetic qualities on the art market. These objects might even be considered emblematic, having till now allowed those who have defined themselves as Guro to lay claim to this identity. Whereas the French colonization largely weakened the prestige of those men whose power resulted from their hunting and war activities, the continuation of complex rituals that entailed the use of masks allowed the men to preserve a form of political and religious control. By diversifying the categories of masks between, on one hand, those that receive blood sacrifices to honor spiritual entities, and those, on the other hand, made more for entertainments given at funerals, political demonstrations, and tourist events, the Guro have reinvented, regalvanized, and readapted perfectly integrated rituals to a contemporary society in permanent change.

A Guide to Rubens’ Antwerp highlights the life and work of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) in a comprehensive and accessible way. The Antwerp museums and churches contain about a hundred paintings, drawings, designs and sketches by Rubens. A large part of those are public. Antwerp is the only city in the world that is so deeply rooted with Peter Paul Rubens and his baroque heritage. A Guide to Rubens’ Antwerp allows you to experience Rubens and the Baroque in an intense way. This multifaceted acquaintance with Rubens goes hand in hand with a dive into the glorious past of the vibrant city of culture, where the master’s life largely took place. A mapped walk takes you to the various places in Antwerp where Rubens’ work can be seen. You can visit his house with the studio, where so many masterpieces came about. You also visit the homes of his friends Balthasar Moretus and Nicolaas Rockox, and you can admire paintings of him in the historic churches in the rooms for which they were made.

Text in German.

The latest Marcel Wanders publication Rijks, Masters of the Golden Age pays homage to the 17th-century Dutch masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum’s prestigious Gallery of Honour. The unique art publication combines the finest materials, the most innovative techniques and the testimonies of thought leaders and craft masters from around the world. The books bring the reader eye to eye with over 60 iconic paintings such as Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Vermeer’s Milkmaid. Leading contemporary critical thinkers explain how their perception of the world has been influenced by these paintings. Featuring writings of Ferran Adrià, David Allen, Alain de Botton, Anton Corbijn, Angela Missoni, Jimmy Nelson, Erwin Olaf and many more, the testimonies add a new way of seeing not only these masterpieces, but also life itself. The book is lavishly produced in genuine leather, with beautiful hand-written calligraphy, and the finest printing technique and paper.

This volume is the first to bring together the V&A Museum’s collection of 19th-century temple hangings from South India, made in the kalamkari style of hand drawing, mordant-dyeing and painting. This is the first time they have been fully illustrated with complete translations of their inscriptions, accompanied by detailed analyses of their narratives. Published in association with the V&A Museum, London, this volume features original research and lavish illustrations.

Introduction: The Ramayana: Contructed, Killed and Brought; Ramayana Chirala; Ramayana Machilipatnam; Ramayana Srikalahasti; Ramayana Srikalahasti (English captions); Ramayana Sri Lanka; Ramayana: Selected Scenes; Balakanda Madurai; Yuddhakanda Madurai; Krishnacharita Coastal Andhra. Two Episodes from the Mahabharata; The Killing of Shishupala Madurai; The Duel between Karna and Arjuna Madurai. Two Ganga Hangings; Ganga Dupatti Machilipatnam; Ganga Dupatti Machilipatnam; Mahalakshmi Pithakam Machilipatnam. Introduction to Holy Sites; Sri Subrahmanya Temple, Tiruchendur; Sri Subrahmanyaswami Temple, Tirupparankunram; Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, Srirangam; Alagar Koyil Chittirai Festival; The Life of Christ Srikalahasti; Bibliography; Glossary; Acknowledgements.

The Walking Tour City Guide series provides an engaging bridge between conventional tourist books, which contain less information on architecture, and academic books, which are often too specialized for a leisurely audience. A Walking Tour: Ahmedabad – the first to focus on an Indian city – provides hand-drawn illustrations that escort the reader from building to building, providing information on history, architectural styles, uses and purpose, and the architects themselves. Focusing on the blend of medieval and modern architecture in Ahmedabad, the authors explore the magnificent old city and the historic ‘Pol’ houses. They also shed light on the buildings built by modern masters, such as Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. From havelis and temples to mosques, markets, and buildings that were only made possible because of the work of Mahatma Gandhi, the authors provide a lively illustrated tour through this city which has seen Mughal, Maratha and British influences in its culture, food and architecture.

The mansions of North Kolkata described in Great Houses of Calcutta were built by the cream of the indigenous elite during the city’s colonial era. Some exceptions apart, these are now largely forlorn reminders of the ways of life, aspirations and aesthetic values of the wealthy Indian land owners, bankers and traders who flourished during the heyday of the city’s colonial era of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The houses are an important part of the urban and architectural history of Kolkata and are past representatives of the ongoing debate over what it means to be modern while representing a living culture in built form.

Taking off from Joanne Taylor’s widely acclaimed award-winning book The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta and drawing from her thesis The Great Houses of Kolkata, 1750-2006, this book is a more comprehensive endeavor bringing in Joanne Taylor’s first hand experiences and research in Kolkata and Jon Lang’s knowledge of the broader context of architectural history and the attempts to display contemporary design attitudes in built form, not only in today’s changing world but also during India’s colonial and post-colonial eras.

Shah Rukh Khan is many things: a villain, an anti-hero, a romantic hero, a heart-throb, and a superstar. Khan burst onto the big screen in 1992 as a character-actor who gave even the most reprehensible villains depth. The accolades he won allowed him to take on a plethora of more adventurous roles, proving his versatility and skill to the world of Indian cinema, but also establishing him as a celebrity icon. This book, containing essays from some of Khan’s closest coworkers, offers an intimate and honest picture of SRK the actor and Shah Rukh the man.

SRK – 25 Years of a Life looks at Shah Rukh through the eyes of the directors who transformed him into each of his unforgettable roles. It shows the creation of a living legend, tracing Khan from his early days to his current position at the pinnacle of the Bollywood casting lists. As well as offering an insight into Khan’s life that will entrance any dedicated fan, this book is designed to please the eye; its many illustrations are inspired by Bollywood’s hand-painted film posters, reminiscent of the iconic portraits that first revealed SRK’s characters. SRK writes that he hasn’t had time for introspection, and does not dwell on the details of his successes and failures. However, this book puts everything that needs to be known about SRK within the reader’s grasp. With its stark and unembellished accounts of SRK’s personal and professional life, it provides a unique window of insight into this legandary man.

“If a picture can speak 1,000 words, then author and photographer Thom Gilbert s Soul: Memphis Original Sound is comparable to an encyclopedia.” Jay Z ‘s Life +Times
“Gilbert’s lens captured the songwriters, engineers, musicians, producers and others who had a hand in creating and shaping the Memphis sound of music.” Memphis Daily News
The book’s mission is to document the legends of the Memphis soul music business. Photographer Thom Gilbert set up a photo studio at Royal Studios in Memphis, home of the famed Hi Records that launched the careers of Al Green, Ann Peebles, and dozens of others. The studio’s “green room” was filled with soul music royalty: Bobby “Blue” Bland in his signature nautical cap, several of the Hodges brothers who make up the incomparable Hi Rhythm Section were on hand, Stax Records musicians Bobby Manuel, Lester Snell were there actually working on a recording, but pausing to have their portraits taken. Gilbert has captured images of what seems like every living person related to Memphis soul music. From Rev. Jesse Jackson, who recorded spoken word albums on Stax’s Respect Records label, to Sam Moore of the indelible soul duo Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Steve Cropper, B.B. King, Bobby Rush, and many others, including the lesser known but equally vital session players, writers, engineers, publicists who contributed to what is now world renowned as The Memphis Sound.

Banaras is a city on the banks of the river Ganges. It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. It is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is portrayed beautifully through Majumdar’s captivating perspective on different walks around the city. Banaras witnesses thousands of devout Hindus who journey to the banks of the Ganga to wash their sins away. The ghats and the riot of colors only add to the character of this city. Banaras now known as Varanasi is also a major tourist attraction and welcomes thousands from around the world.

Bruges is a city with a fascinating history. Bruges is a city full of people and stories. Bruges is a city like those in the fairy tales…

Historian Paul Van Damme’s book is an ode to the city, its inhabitants and its heritage. This history book reads like a page-turner: city views act as backdrops for wondrous events, homes and squares become the decors for true stories.

Paul Van Damme proves that historical accuracy and engaging storytelling can go hand in hand. This accessible, intriguing book is an ideal introduction for those who visit Bruges for the first time. But it is also a great read for those who frequent the city; even lifelong residents will find charming stories and anecdotes they may never have heard before.

Design on the High Seas is an autobiographical account of the architectural design work of Joseph Farcus, which charts his career as an architect who eventually found his way into the cruise-ship industry, in the early days of what is now a truly global business in more ways than one. His works reflects a hard-earned disciplined practice that has helped to foster sophisticated designs for the billion-dollar cruise-ship industry. Many of the projects featured in the pages of this book reflect the beautiful ships of Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s leading cruise-ship company, as well as those of the celebrated Costa Cruises.

The volume combines spectacular full-color photography, original sketches, and a compelling, first-person narrative to showcase Farcus’s spectacular journey. The author shares anecdotes from his childhood, his university days and his early career, giving an insight into what inspired the architect he was to become – and explaining how the astronomical success of the Carnival Cruise Lines is due in no small way to his product-defining designs. Indeed, millions of passengers have enjoyed memorable and meaningful experiences aboard his works. This is a fascinating and unique account of an architectural designer’s journey, and it will appeal to a broad readership: those who love to sail, those with a passion for boat design, as well as businesspeople of all backgrounds who wish to learn the story behind a leisure industry powerhouse.

Organizations and companies remain successful if they are ecosystems in which people are motivated to improve. People are engaged when organizations have a purpose and attract like-minded men and women. The transformative power of noble purpose is what unites individual self-realization, organizational efficiency, and societal evolution. This book, inspired by the life story of the author, promotes a society where environment, humanism and economy go hand in hand to create a sustainable future.

There is a rich tradition of hand-woven bands made by the nomadic pastoralists of Iran. They have a large and detailed design vocabulary, and were executed using weaving skills that were not exceeded by any other weaving tradition. No study of nomadic life and weavings in Iran is complete without them. Among Qashqa’i tribal weavers in particular, the warp-faced bands used to attach loads to pack animals were a key symbol of their nomadic life. These bands carry a large repository of motifs that may be a source of archaic design elements. Bands illustrate a connection between and among groups of nomadic pastoralists, as great distances may have separated their ancestors for hundreds of years. Although the overwhelming majority of weavers were illiterate, they possessed a different form of literacy in which they were capable of transferring an image into a woven structure. This is the first book devoted exclusively to these weavings.

Contents: Introduction; The Functions of Warp-faced Bands in Nomadic Life; Structure and Construction; Buckles & Fastening Systems on Bands; Dating Textiles; Design & Structural Changes on Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Warp-faced Bands; Imagery & Design Elements; Tribal Confederacies; Plates; Bands, Ropes, Braids, and Tassels among Qashqa’i Nomads; Glossary; Bibliography.

The Historic Center of Mexico City protects 500 years of history, and cultural and artistic wealth. In addition, it is the scene of an effervescence that keeps it alive and transforms it every day. This guide has two objectives. On one hand, the reader will find in it information to deepen their knowledge about the heart of this great city. At the same time, the guide has a practical purpose, as it contains plans, routes and useful information that will accompany the reader in his role as traveler or explorer. Whoever has this guide in their hands will discover the center of the hand of curators, music lovers, chroniclers, foodies, landscapers and amateurs, whose very different outlooks and recommendations have only one common denominator: an excessive passion for the Center.

Following the success of Letters from St. Petersburg, which recounts the early years of Prince Chakrabongse’s life through his letters to his father, King Chulalongkorn, the diaries covering the last four years of his life are full of sadness and tumult. The Prince records all the facets of his daily life: his work as Commander-in-Chief of the army and his push to bring Siam into World War I, the conflicts within the royal family, the breakup of his marriage and the death of his beloved mother, Queen Saowabha. These diaries provide an invaluable first-hand insight into Siamese politics and governance at a turbulent time, as well as poignant glimpses of his personal life and divorce from his Russian wife, Katya.

A slower pace of life, outdoor space and tight-knit communities come hand-in-hand with village living – something many have come to appreciate in recent months. Many city-dwellers are looking for an alternative way of life and are preparing to move, making the dream reality. In this beautifully photographed book, Ben Ashby, the editor-in-chief of Folk Magazine, reflects on the authenticity and charm of life on the farm. Having made the move several years ago from New York to Kentucky, he shares his thoughts on fitting into a small town, living on the farm, learning to celebrate the slow life, and being self-sufficient. For each season, he pilots us to the most inspiring farmhouses and pays tribute to the architecture and interiors of these unique spaces, as well as to the lifestyle and sense of community that goes along with country life. Now might be a perfect time for you to give farming life a try!

This is the era of the Smart Ecosystems Economy, where the companies that thrive must be ready to cope with randomness and unexpected events. In this digital world, the traditional boundaries have disappeared, paving the way for new and smarter ecosystems to develop. Companies seeking to transform into future-proof organizations would do well to understand these ecosystems, and get a grasp on how they work.

This book serves as a guide to building smart, competitive ecosystems for both small and large organizations. A timely book that cracks the code of tomorrow’s business models.

a+u’s October issue features 18 projects, ranging from private residences to urban plazas, by architect Marie-José Van Hee, whose practice is based in Ghent, Belgium. Working almost entirely in Flanders, Van Hee creates architectural works that are intensely personal, as an extension of her aesthetic passion, which also encompasses cooking, literature, and fashion. The projects presented here all begin with an aerial photograph of the broader site context alongside Van Hee’s sketches. These sketches, or rather black drawings, are layers of pencil lines drawn on top of each other. They communicate the architectural images that Van Hee visualizes as “her hand mediates between the mental images and the spatial projections on a sheet of paper” and “negotiate between her imagination and the constrictions of our physical world while she juggles different scales simultaneously,” as described in the introduction by Sam De Vocht.

Text in English and Japanese.

Beyond Bold: Inspiration, Collaboration, Evolution follows the “Next Generation”of leadership at Oehme van Sweden, a landscape architecture firm that’s been creating extraordinary outdoor spaces for nearly 50 years. With 320 pages of vibrant photographs, detailed project plans, and first-hand commentary from principals Sheila Brady, Lisa Delplace, and Eric Groft, the book is a one-of-a-kind record of OvS’ history and evolution. Building upon OvS’ reputation for sustainable, client-tailored residential design, the current leaders have developed an ouvre that’s as legacy-driven as it is exploratory. From private gardens and pools to the expansive Tippet Rise Art Center in rural Montana to urban oases like the Chicago and New York Botanical Gardens, the projects featured in this book are masterpeices of both horticulture and hardscape. Arranged into thematic chapters – “The House and its Garden,” “Gathering Places,” “At the Water’s Edge,” “Urban Retreats” and “Farms and Fields” – Beyond Bold: Inspiration, Collaboration, Evolution is an image-rich study of some of the most geographically and stylistically diverse landscape projects by the top players in the industry.

Get into this year’s interior design trend: Japandi, a style that combines serene Scandinavian design elements with the richness of Japanese design tradition. It is characterized by a combination of beauty, functionality, and clean lines with a lot of attention to materials, textures, and natural touches. In addition to more than 200 images of the most beautiful Japandi-interiors and designs, this book gives practical tips on how to implement these ideas in your own home. This book will inspire you to create minimalist, yet luxurious Japandi interiors, where the design styles from two parts of the world meet.

To ensure the well-being of the planet, we need marketing heroes on the barricades for a sustainable future. Research shows that more than 80% of consumers are looking at companies to take the lead in this transition. At the same time, it appears that less than 10% of the messages about sustainability are credible to the public. Speak up Now! helps companies seize this historic opportunity and shows how we can make the shift to a world where business success goes hand in hand with the survival of the planet.