The wee folk have returned! Uncover the mystery of who they are and why they are here in the first book of the Vinetrope Adventures. Following a young girl, Sara, who has recently lost her mom to cancer, Return of the Vinetropes tells the story of a remarkable fairy-like creature found in Sara’s back yard. Lucinda Vinetrope: born wise, full-grown, and all alone. She may only be 12 inches high, but her personality is huge! Her arrival signifies the return of the Vinetrope nation, but also the return of their evil counterparts, the Chargons and the Vinkali. Joined by a supporting cast of comedic characters, animal and human alike, Sara and Lucinda set off on their quest to find the other Vinetropes and protect their world from danger.
Women Garden Designers presents twenty-seven of the most important and influential women garden designers and their gardens from around the world, showing both their finest commissions as well as the gardens they designed for themselves, in their own space. The carefully researched text examines their influences and their legacy to garden design. Beginning with the remarkable Gertrude Jekyll and Beatrix Farrand, who were working simultaneously, though on different sides of the Atlantic, the book then moves on into the 20th century, featuring international designers as diverse as Florence Yoch – who created gardens for film sets and for glamorous Hollywood homes – and Vita Sackville-West – whose regular gardening column in the Observer, along with her own garden at Sissinghurst, influenced those in Britain. In Australia, Edna Walling supplemented her income from her practice with regular articles in life-style magazines. Increasingly with picture-led articles, designers found a way to publicize and advertise their work, thus gaining new clients in emancipated women who were in a position to place their own commissions. Women designers were more likely and quicker to embrace the ecological garden movement particularly in Germany and Sweden in the middle of the 20th century. They are represented by Herta Hammerbacher and Rosemary Weisse, who created the glorious perennial plantings in Munich’s West Park and Ulla Bodorff in Sweden, as well as Isabelle Greene in California with her dry native plantings. The modern movement includes Monica Gora and Topher Delaney, for whom spirituality and landscape as works of art are important. The more conventional structured approach is represented by Penelope Hobhouse and Rosemary Verey, who began creating gardens later in their lives, following motherhood. Haruko Seki from Japan and Isabel du Prat from Brazil express their own special cultural qualities in their trans-global practices. Contents: Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932, English); Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959, American); Norah Lindsay (1876-1948, English); Marian Coffin (1876-1957, American); Florence Yoch (1890-1972, American); Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962, English); Edna Walling (1895-1973, Australian); Brenda Colvin (1897-1981, English); Herta Hammerbacher (1900-1985, German); Sylvia Crowe (1907-1997, English); Maria Teresa Parpagliolo Shephard (1903-1974, Italian); Joane Pim (1904-2002, South African); Ulla Bodorf (1913-1982, Swedish); Rosemary Verey (1918-2001, English); Cornelia Oberlander (1921-, Canadian); Rosmarie Weisse (1927-2002, German); Penelope Hobhouse (1929- English); Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002, French); Isabelle Greene (1934- American); Arabella Lennox-Boyd (1938- Italian); Nancy Goslee Power (1942- American); Topher Delaney (1948- American); Isabel du Prat (1954- Brazilian); Petra Blaisse (1955- Dutch); Monica Gora (1959- Swedish); Haruko Seki (1959- Japanese).
The Miller Ceramic Art Collection features masterpieces highlighting the artistic ideals of numerous luminaries of mid-twentieth century to early twenty-first century American ceramic art. In addition, the collection includes important examples of European and Japanese ceramic artworks of the same period. Marlin Miller’s profound understanding of materials began with ceramic engineering. His interest in brick and its role in architecture informs a keen eye for surface texture, dimension and materiality.
The publication is a comprehensive presentation of one of the world’s most distinguished private collections of contemporary studio ceramics, and an observation on the correlation between ceramics and architecture. With contributions by Meghen Jones, Sequoia Miller, Michael McKinnell and Wayne Higby.
Formula 1 is the aesthete’s ultimate sport: an intoxicating cocktail of speed, spectacle, competition and power, at the heart of which are the thoroughbred racing machines – exquisite manifestations of form following function, driven at dizzying speeds by the quickest-of-the-quick, the best racing drivers on the planet. Darren Heath has been photographing Formula 1 for over 25 years. For 21 of these years he has worked freelance, and this has given him a unique perspective on the complex and exciting world of Formula 1. Darren Heath’s photography in Art Of The Race V17 encapsulates the very essence of the speed, noise, excitement and color of Formula 1 racing, whilst also highlighting the key moments of each race as the season unfolds, culminating in Lewis Hamilton winning his 4th world championship.
Florence is aimed at showing how one of the Italian cities most strongly linked with its past, the quintessential symbol of the Renaissance period, conceals a myriad of innovative architecture. Florence is not a static city. It has often been guilty of long delays and a certain lack of courage in assimilating new approaches, but its way of introducing contemporary architecture into a consolidated context, is unique. Changes with great impact began in Florence at the end of the 19th century with the urban planning transformations designed by Giuseppe Poggi. The strongly defined limits of the historic centre became blurred with the demolition of the fortifications and the city was opened up to permit expansion. In the 1930s, the Rationalist design of the Santa Maria Novella Station introduced a new form of architectural expression into the historic center and outskirts of the city. This is the building that begins the itinerary proposed in this guide; a chronological, but also a physical beginning: a starting point for visitors to begin their architectural excursion.
As a child, photographer Martin Usborne was once left in a car. This was not for long, but he wondered if anyone would come back. Around the same age he fell in love with dogs – they could not speak, just as he felt he was silent in that car. Thirty years later the two experiences came together in this cinematic and darkly humorous project that looks at the way humans are able to silence the animals they love best. No dogs were harmed in the making of this project.
The American House is an exceedingly diverse collection of contemporary residential designs in the United States. This book follows the successful title European House, likewise a gorgeous collection of new residential architecture. The American House contains cutting-edge residential designs by leading architects from across the United States. Stunning color photographs and plans underline the sensitivity of today’s architects to the natural environment, as well as the care and attention paid to interior design and everyday living. This new volume features an extraordinary variety in style, sophistication, affordability, site and landscape, with an emphasis on sustainability practices in both design and construction. Each project illustrates how architects adapt their signature styles to accommodate the challenges posed by local topography and variations in climate, along with a sharp focus on optimum strategies for sustainable living. A lively introduction by critic Ian Volner comments on the many trends, often contradictory, that characterize the architecture of houses in the 2010s. In its sweeping scope, this book considers the present and points to the future of residential design in the United States.
“The well-judged employment of classical detail in a new home has an additional significance that cannot be underestimated. It is an expression of an informed personal choice and an evocation of the delight in the human senses. This is true of all the houses featured in this book.” Jeremy Musson
“The architects and craftsmen that Phillip has featured in this wonderful book all have a love for classical detail. The art is alive and well, as can be attested to in these pages.” David Easton
In The Art of Classical Details, Phillip James Dodd takes a close-up look at some of the finest examples of contemporary classical architecture. The book consists of two chapters: The Essays and The Projects. Starting with a foreword by renowned decorator David Easton, The Essays are written by some of today’s most sought after architects, scholars and craftsmen. Accompanied by sumptuous full page photographs and renderings that illustrate a use of fine materials, intricate detailing, and superb artisanship, these insightful texts are essential reading for anyone with an interest in the theory, practice and craft of classical design. The Projects presents an illustrated look at 25 of today’s finest classically-designed homes. Employing the theories prescribed in the writings of the first chapter, this portfolio of contemporary buildings exhibits the work of some of the most recognizable and celebrated architects in Great Britain and the United States. The work featured in within this book demonstrates the timeless beauty of classicism, and delights in the role that superbly crafted details play in creating art.
“Neural networks do not understand what optical illusions are.” – Technologyreview.com
“Some pictures tell a thousand lies.” – hplyrikz.com
An optical illusion confuses the eye by pretending to be something it isn’t. It both misleads and deceives the brain, which is trying to make sense of the information the eye is sending. This book presents a selection of brain-bending optical illusions featuring graphic art and photography by 60 artists, and includes an overview of the history of optical illusions in art.
The digital revolution has made customers more demanding than ever. Speed, transparency and hyper-personalization are the new norm. More and more brand manufacturers are now selling in their own stores and webshops are selling directly to consumers in increasing quantities. In the meantime, new technologies are heralding the next phase of seismic change. In this book, Gino Van Ossel introduces the concept of optichannel, which will guide retailers, brand manufacturers and service companies through and beyond the current wave of digital hysteria. Using recognizable examples, he offers a realistic view of the retail landscape of the future and sets out a practical framework for a successful strategy that combines profit, competitiveness and customer focus.
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.
Sympathy for the Devil refers to the first track on the Rolling Stones album Beggars Banquet. Each of the selected art works in this book about contemporary artists are linked in one way or another to prominent ideas in the song: the fascinating beauty of evil, the attraction of moral or psychological hell, death and danger as a celebration of life, extreme and transgressive behavior and even a pronounced tendency towards sexuality. Curators Walter Vanhaerents and Pierre-Olivier Rollin have chosen the title Sympathy for the Devil for the second group exhibition in the Vanhaerents Art Collection, a unique collection of contemporary art based in Brussels. Includes the work of the following artists: Hamra Abbas; Mark Handforth; Mario Merz; David Adamo; He Sen; Jean-Luc Moerman; Christian Boltanski; He Wenjue; Yasumasa Morimura; James Lee Byars; Jenny Holzer; Farhad Moshiri; Wim Delvoye; Matthew Day Jackson; Bruce Nauman; Nick Ervinck; Barbara Kruger; Ugo Rondinone; Urs Fischer; Gabriel Kuri; Christoph Schmidberger; Barnaby Furnas; Terence Koh; Sudarshan Shetty; Anna Gaskell; Claude Lévêque; Yinka Shonibare; Kendell Geers; Nathan Mabry; Johan Tahon; Anthony Gormley; Steve Mc Queen; Wang Du.
“Because of her long experience with the East, both in travel and in study, the eastern element is much stronger and more authentic in her work than it is in the works of other artists. The East is not merely a touch of varnish, it is something that defines her art.” – Prof. Dr. Willy Vande Walle. In her first monograph, Nicole Halsberghe provides an extensive overview of her oeuvre of the past 50 years. During her many travels to the East she always had a sketchbook and camera at hand. She captures everything she sees, everything that inspires her, and transforms it into acrylic paintings, drawings and lithographs. Traces on the Way shows how she ‘abstracts’ subjects, interprets them and makes them come to life. She portrays mankind and their surroundings in an impressive and unique way, from intimate rooms and train compartments to the immense, vast Japanese landscape. Text in English and Dutch.
From 22 September 2017 to 21 January 2018 Palazzo Strozzi will be hosting a splendid exhibition devoted to the art of the second half of the 16th century in Florence, the third and final act in a trilogy which began with Bronzino ISBN 9788874611546, in 2010 and was followed by Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino ISBN 9788874612161, in 2014. Curated by Carlo Falciani and Antonio Natali, the show, and this accompanying book, explores the development of Florentine art in the second half of the century through the painting, sculpture, and draughtsmanship of such artists as Andrea del Sarto, Bronzino, Pontormo, Giorgio Vasari, Giambologna and Bartolomeo Ammannati. The exhibition will also provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the outstanding cultural and intellectual era that was marked by the Council of Trent and its Counter-Reformation, and by the figure of Francesco I de Medici, one of the most outstanding figures in the history of court patronage of the arts in Europe.
In another of the exquisite Library on Display series of exhibitions, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana has organized an original itinerary in medical literature and philosophical treatises, through finely illuminated manuscripts produced for illustrious patrons. The exhibition includes the Corpus Hippocraticum, with the De diaeta treatise, and Galen’s writings, but also Ficino’s translation of Plato’s Dialogues, Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics as translated by John Argyropoulos and Epicurus famous Letter to Menoeceus. In the same way, the culinary suggestions in De re coquinaria by Apicius are accompanied by Seneca’s Letters to Lucilius and Plutarch’s precepts. There are a number of medieval works from the Arab tradition and texts that descend from the tradition of the famous Salerno medical school, Trotula’s Regulae medicinales (dedicated to women’s health and cosmetics), the Physica by Hildegard of Bingen, writings by physicians of the 13th and 14th centuries such as Aldobrandinus of Siena, Taddeo Alderotti (cited by Dante in the Divine Comedy) and Barnabas of Reggio. Encounters from the 15th century include Benedetto da Norcia, physician to Bianca Maria Visconti and Cosimo de Medici the Elder, and Bernardo Torni, physician to future pope Leo X, Giovanni de Medici. A special chapter is dedicated to writings about the bubonic plague, in particular Consilio contro la pestilentia, written by Marsilio Ficino in response to the epidemic that raged in Florence between 1478 and 1479. The neo-Platonic philosopher, in his capacity as a physician following in the family tradition, also wrote De triplici vita, the reference for all successive literature about the melancholy temperament of the saturnine intellect. The exploration ends in the 16th century with the amiable advice offered by Luigi Cornaro, Venetian gentleman and patron of the arts, in his Discorsi della vita sobria.
To rid the world of the evil, ten-headed Ravana, the Hindu god Vishnu appears on earth as a heroic prince, Rama. The devotion of his brother Lakshman, his marriage to the beautiful Sita, and encounters with demons, giants, sages, and holy men form favorite episodes familiar to any Hindu child. Taken from the holy text, the Ramayana, these stories conclude with Rama’s efforts to rescue the kidnapped Sita, aided by Hanuman, leader of an army of monkeys. These incidents have been retold and lavishly illustrated using original paintings from a 16th-century Mughal manuscript.
Rabbit Cloud and the Rainmakers is an endearing folktale brought to life in the 21st century. An engaging quest on one level, it introduces themes of social responsibility and environmental issues.
Life in the royal courts of India revolved around entertaining. The palace kitchens were allotted massive budgets to ensure the highest quality of cuisine. Each state had its unique style of entertaining and food traditions – carrying forward these culinary practices are the modern day Indian royals. While the scale of the banquets may have shrunk the passion for food and the age-old family recipes remain. Dining with the Maharajas: Thousand Years of Culinary Tradition brings the invaluable legacy of Indian royals as ten families open up their palaces and homes to allow you a glimpse into their charmed lives that straddle tradition and modernity.
Carleton Varney turns his decorating vision towards the water in his most recent tome, Decorating on the Waterfront.
Here, he gathers stunning images of new design projects in this collection of inspirational stories that use motifs and colors from years by the shore. Growing up on the Massachusetts coast influenced his penchant for bright cheerful color schemes and warm polished interiors that exude luxury living today. Varney continues to live near the ocean and decorates for clients on the waterfront from Palm Beach, Florida to the shores of Lake Huron, Michigan. This book brings into focus Varney’s career long journey to bring elements and inspirations from the world around us to life at home.
Has there ever been an American decorator as famous as Dorothy Draper? Like Martha Stewart, Draper was a preacher and teacher whose how-to books and Good Housekeeping columns provided middle-class housewives with affordable ideas for making their homes more functional and comfortable. Thanks to her originality as a stylist and her daring as a businesswoman, she became one of the most respected career women in the United States. She shocked the design world in 1937 when she decorated the thirty-seven-story Hampshire House apartment hotel on Central Park South in New York City, delivering a project that became indicative of her signature touch – ‘baroque fantasy’. In the Pink: Dorothy Draper, America’s Most Fabulous Decorator, by Carleton Varney, lavishly illustrates Draper’s most important projects.
Despite some field research our knowledge of the sacred among the Mumuye is still embryonic. In all these acephalic groups of a binary and antinomic nature, the complex va constitutes an extremely varied semantic field in which certain aspects are accentuated depending on the circumstances. Religious power is linked to the strength contained in sacred objects, of which only the elders are the guardians. Moreover, this gerontocracy relies on a system of initiatory stages which one must pass to have access to the status of ‘religious leader’. Geographically isolated, the Mumuye were able to resist the attacks of the Muslim invaders, the British colonial authority and the activities of the different Christian missions for a long time. As a result the Mumuye practised woodcarving until the beginning of our century. In 1970 Philip Fry published his essay on the statuary of the Mumuye of which the analysis of the endogenous network has so far lost nothing of its value. Basing himself on in situ observations, Jan Strybol attempted to analyze the exogenous network of this woodcarving. Thus he was able to document about forty figures and some masks and additionally to identify more than twenty-five Mumuye artists as well as a specific type of sculpture as being confined to the Mumuye Kpugbong group. During and after the Biafran war, hundreds of Mumuye sculptures were collected. Based on information gathered between 1970 and 1993 the author has demonstrated that a certain number of these works are not Mumuye but must be attributed to relic groups scattered in Mumuye territory.