NEW from ACC Art Books – Limited Edition: Sukita: EternityClick here to order

An expert in Pompeian studies and a qualified tourist guide since 2005, Professor De Albentiis has been Professor of Style, History of Art and Costume at the Pietro Vannucci Academy of Fine Arts, which in 2003 awarded him the title of Honorary Academician. In addition to his academic activity, which has also seen him involved as a visiting professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bilbao, Thessaloniki, Pontevedra, Córdoba Oporto and Nanjing, De Albentiis also stands out for his activity as a militant critic of contemporary art and as a promoter of sensitivity towards art and history, through his collaboration with various cultural bodies and associations. In this volume, he reconstructs the history of the discovery and excavation of Pompeii, immersing the reader in every aspect of Pompeian civilization. A journey to discover the main areas and spaces dedicated to public and private life in Pompeii before the terrible eruption of 79 AD, which fatally decreed both its destruction and its preservation. The magnificence of Pompeii’s villas, temples and squares is brought to life in this volume, together with an exhaustive analysis of the religious, economic, social, residential and funerary life of its civilization.

Text in English and Italian.

Experience the sights and sounds of the City of Lights like a true native with this expanded edition Bill Gillham has been visiting Paris for decades. For him, the pleasure is not in revisiting the tourist sights, but rather in immersing himself in a particular quartier, discovering little shops and bistros, exploring markets, parks, and local entertainment, and finding the quirks and particularities of the city’s day-to-day life. In this unique guidebook, Bill takes travelers to 21 of his favorite areas in Paris–some central, some suburban, all off the beaten track. Neglected or completely ignored by ordinary guide books, each of these locales has a purely individual, Parisian character and make superb bases for traditional sightseeing, and in particular an ideal way of seeing Paris with children. All the information about where to stay; how to get about; where to shop and eat; which museums, parks, playgrounds to not miss; and what to avoid is provided along with lush photographs that give a hint of the pleasures to be gleaned. All the information has been meticulously updated, and many sections have been enlarged and improved.

This 15 year retrospective on the contemporary South Korean artist Soo Kyoung Lee presents paintings, installations and drawings from both public and private collections dating from 2007 to the present. The work is presented chronologically, and is punctuated by the critical writings of Romain Mathieu, Fanny Drugeon, Eun-lok Shim and Jeong Hyeun. As the artist notes, “The idea is to trace this experience so as to share it, but also, through this synthesis of 15 years of painting, to take stock by looking back, in order to better move forward.” 

What does success mean? Is it just climbing the ladder? Does the perfect job exist? Do you have to plan everything in advance, preferably before your 30th birthday? And what about that work-life balance?
Making important career and life choices is a struggle for many people.  In this book, the authors examine 15 persistent myths and popular beliefs that hold us back, and share valuable tips based on their own experiences, outsider testimonials, and academic research. This is the book the authors, both business school professors, wish they could have read before they started their own careers. “We often meet people with amazing potential, who don’t realize that potential because of some limiting beliefs they have about what a career and happiness should look like. We want to encourage people to set themselves free from such myths and pursue their dreams with confidence.” – the authors.

Wild Comfort: Contemporary Homes in the Wilderness showcases thirty exceptional residences in some of the world’s most breathtaking and unspoiled natural landscapes. Designed by leading architects, the houses range from minimalist cabins to luxury residences, each offering a place of refuge within the vast wilderness. Perched on rocky archipelagos, enshrouded in dense forests, and nestled in sun-scorched deserts, these homes are exposed to the elements. Yet each is sensitively designed to blend with the environment and withstand their unique conditions. Their warm and inviting interiors offer comfort and protection while immersing residents in the surrounding wonders. Wild Comfort celebrates architecture in harmony with nature. By fostering a dialog between the tamed and untamed, between comfort and wilderness, it illuminates how thoughtful design can empower us to engage more deeply with the natural world.

After the global success of the award winning Pure & Simple: Homemade Indian Vegetarian Cuisine, celebrated cookbook author Vidhu Mittal delves deeper into the nuances of Indian vegetarian food in her new book, Pure & Special: Gourmet Indian Vegetarian Cuisine.
Pure & Special is a collection of recipes that elevates the food lover to the next level of vegetarian cooking. A mix of traditional, festive dishes, contemporary favourites, and innovative renditions, each recipe extols the variety and virtue of vegetables in Indian cooking. Continuing in the tradition of the previous book, Pure & Special has easy-to-follow recipes with step-by-step photographs for each dish. Every recipe carries useful tips and special notes from the author, explaining the uniqueness of each dish. Ingredient descriptions and helpful menu suggestions make this book a must have for both the beginner as well as the seasoned cook. Contents: Introduction; Discover Spices; Know Your Vegetables, Fruits & Nuts; Goodness of Lentils; Drinks, Soups, & Salads; Snacks & Starters; Main Course; Rice & Breads; Accompaniments; Desserts; Cooking Processes; High Tea Menus; Festive Menus; Index.

Silicon Valley has become the Mesopotamia of the Digital Age, built on cycles of innovation and disruption, monstrous ambition, and a steady supply of labour and capital. Yet for all that’s known about companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook – and the personas behind those companies – the culture of Silicon Valley remains elusive and contradictory, even to many locals. This unique guidebook, written by longtime local Floriana Petersen, takes you on an insider’s tour of 111 cool, offbeat, and very compelling places that offer insight into the evolving character of Silicon Valley. Visit the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford to see drawings done by Leland Jr. Stanford, after whom the university was named after his death at age 15 in 1884. Sit at the Rosewood Hotel bar to witness the mating habits of venture capitalists. Go to the Music@Menlo Festival to listen some of the best chamber music to be found anywhere in the country. Enjoy the Stanford Powwow, a festival to celebrate some of the great American Indian tribes of Northern California. Visit Steve Jobs’ final resting place, or spend an afternoon at the Hakone Japanese gardens. Explore the Filoli Estate, a living testimony to the wealthy families who used the Gold Rush to build the infrastructure that has become Silicon Valley.

Founded in Stuttgart in 2005, the practice led by Liza Heilmeyer, Stephan Birk and Martin Frenzel comprises a team of 50 people and stands for context-related, clear architecture that focuses on construction and materials. A special emphasis is placed on a more effective circular building economy by designing and constructing with wood. Examples include the sculptural Jübergturm (2010) in Hemer and the multi-­award-winning Kita im Park (2020) in East Stuttgart.

Text in English and German.

Sheffield is yet to be discovered. Were you aware that football’s first professional rule book was written in Sheffield, and that it is home to the oldest ground in professional use? Did you know that climbers the world over come to Stanage Edge for the challenges offered by one of the world’s most fearsome millstone grit escarpments? Did you know that the Arctic Monkeys grew up in Sheffield, and that you can see the room at Yellow Arch Studios where they rehearsed as schoolboys and cut their first album? Did you know that the steepest hill in the entire 2012 Tour de France is in Sheffield? Did you know that Sheffield’s craft breweries produce some of the finest beers in the world? Did you know that you can walk out of the center of Sheffield, through parkland, and directly into open countryside? You need this book fast then, don’t you, you soft ‘aporth!

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.

The selected texts (vol. 1) are arranged in the order of appearance, while the plates (vol. 2), following chronological order, make up an atlas of two centuries of Tuscan painting.

With texts in English (36), French (1), and Italian (10).

Beautifully produced facsimile of a watercolor artist’s book recording many of the most fascinating birds and animals of the Galápagos Islands. Profits to go to the Galápagos Trust.

The 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a good reason to put the topic emphatically into the public focus. UNICEF Germany and GEO – with the support of the world’s best photographers and Edition Lammerhuber – do exactly that in this joint pro-bono project. In 40 photographic reports from 15 years, a selection of particularly striking pictures from the UNICEF Photo of the Year competition forms a fervent appeal to respect the rights of the child and to guarantee every girl and boy in the world a childhood in dignity. The volume is edited by Jürgen Heraeus, the Chairman of the German Committee of UNICEF, and Peter-Matthias Gaede, long-serving Editor-in-Chief of GEO. We the Children draws attention to the suffering and hardships, but also to the wishes and dreams of today’s children. We the Children is a book full of hope for a child-oriented world. Text in English and German.

“In this abridged extract from Don’t Be A Tourist In London, Vanessa Grall suggests a few places to start a conversation in London… and one place to go and listen.”Londonist

“Discover the capital’s secret spots with Vanessa Grall’s new book.”Country and Town House

“The cliché says that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life – but I think this book might help some to rediscover the joys of both… there’s probably enough here to keep you going for things to explore for the next decade.”Amateur Photographer

“This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller’s companion as much as a beautifully designed collectable for your bookshelf.” — Polo Lifestlye

Discover the secret recipe for becoming an artful traveler in a messy world.

Don’t be a Tourist in London offers an escape route from the typical tourist itinerary to the British capital, unlocking a vault of thoughtfully-curated itineraries, local secrets, insider advice and little-known urban anecdotes.

For the third instalment of the best-selling Don’t be a Tourist series, the author takes us to her hometown to rediscover the personal joy of travel, following our instincts – not the tour buses. Each episode’s journey has its own mood, inspired by different traveler mindsets shaped by life’s relatable challenges and familiar emotions like heartbreak, career hurdles or strong personality quirks.

This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveler’s companion as much as a beautifully-designed collectible for your bookshelf. Within the pages of this beautifully bound hardback, you will find…

Secret Restaurants; Time Capsule Pubs; Cosy Hideaways & Unique Date Ideas; Unexpected alternatives to major museums; Film-worthy Walks & Quaint neighborhood Discoveries; Hip London Hangouts; Aladdin’s Caves & booklover Havens; Places to be creative; Obscure/ Underground Adventures; Places to entertain the kids (or the kid in you!); Budget-friendly life-savers; Endless good-to-know advice and fascinating anecdotes.

Harmony: Essential Ayurveda for All is a celebration of India’s timeless wisdom offering an insight into India’s ancient traditions and practices for holistic well-being. Delving into Ayurveda, yoga and mindful living, Gita Ramesh introduces readers to the art of incorporating mindfulness, gratitude and self-awareness to enhance overall life quality.

The book will not only enlighten readers about time-honored practices but also offer practical tips to cultivating well-being in today’s fast-paced world.

Aesthetic seduction, superb workmanship, and historical interest are the three central themes in the collection of Fondation Gandur pour l’Art (Geneva), created in 2010 and still expanding. The aim of this first volume is to catalog the works in the collection, whose decorative aspects are every bit as important as their narrative content. The works are for the most part sculptures – statuettes and ornamental reliefs – although two-dimensional decorations depicting figurative scenes associated with classical antiquity or Christianity are no less important.

The periods represented by the sculptural works discussed in this book reflect the scope of the whole collection, which ranges from the 12th to the 18th century. And since the goal of the collection is to document centuries of cultural exchange between France and neighboring countries, all the works included in the book come from these latter regions. The hybrid styles are closely linked, and this is an aspect of considerable importance, as is the originality certain pieces display and, last but not least, their aesthetic quality.

The book is arranged by topic, which brings out the great originality and extraordinary richness of the collection, as well as the extremely varied nature of the subjects, narrative episodes, and figures portrayed. More specifically, the topics are divided into five sections: ancient gods and heroes; biblical and allegorical figures; scenes from the life of the Virgin; episodes from the life of Christ; and saints and intercessors. Each work has its own entry that describes the historical and geographical context in which it was made, analyzes its iconographic content, and includes a bibliography and a list of the exhibitions where the work was exhibited.

Caroline Broadhead (b. 1950) is a highly versatile artist who started in jewelry in the late 1970s. Since then she has extended her practice from “wearable objects” and textile works to dance collaborations and installations in historic buildings. Broadhead’s work is concerned with the boundaries of an individual and the interface of inside and outside, public and private, including a sense of territory and personal space, presence and absence and a balance between substance and image. It has explored outer extents of the body as seen through light, shadows, reflections and movement. This comprehensive overview also comprises larger scale and collaborative works that aim to elicit a particular experience or to start a train of thought.

Published to accompany the Exhibition at CODA Museum Apeldoorn (NL), 4 February – 15 April 2018 and the Exhibition at Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins, London, 11 January – 2 February 2019.

“Modern life getting on top of you? You’ll find inspiration for an escape to the wild in the pages of this new photo book, which showcases spectacular cabins in breathtaking locations.” — The Daily Mail
“If you’re a cozy cabin enthusiast, this coffee table charmer, published on Sept. 28, 2022, may be for you.” — Fox News

“If you’re refraining from an entire bookshelf, at least keep one very cool coffee table book on show. Points for escapism, notes on architecture, design, or whatever else you’re into, because sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.” — Real Homes
Modern Cabins: Return to the Wild
reveals infinite possibilities to connect with nature in contemporary cabins set in idyllic locations. This richly illustrated book includes a worldwide selection of projects—across Asia, Australia, Europe, United Kingdom, and the Americas— showcasing inventive methods to maximize small spaces, and to make the fast pace of city living a distant memory. These cozy retreats—embedded in stunning and remote locations and designed to be at one with the wilderness—are truly sanctuaries.

Also available: Cabins: Escape to Nature, ISBN 9781864708332

The series contains a collection of masterpieces by famous Chinese painters of all ages, with a rich variety of subjects and styles. It presents a selection of paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties, including figure and landscape paintings, showing the splendid charm of traditional Chinese painting at its peak from multiple perspectives. The volumes are accompanied by expert interpretations, analyzing the characteristics of the paintings and the key points of appreciation, and guiding the reader through the beauty of the paintings in an insightful text.

Perhaps Norman Weber – as a native of Schwäbisch Gmünd – was born with a love of jewelry. Following a traditional training as a gold and silversmith in Kaufbeuren-Neugablonz, where he teaches today at the State Vocational College for Glass and Jewellery, he studied with professors Hermann Jünger, Otto Künzli and Horst Sauerbruch at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Here the then 25-year-old began his search, together with his colleagues Karl Fritsch, Peter Bauhuis and Karen Pontoppidan, for new paths and definitions in contemporary jewelry. Today Norman Weber is the storyteller in the contemporary studio jewelry scene. For example with the brooches from his series “Portraits”, which investigates clichés such as Barbie dolls. Focusing on a particular area of interest – popular images, comics and populist icons – the artist enmeshes the images in perfectly executed constructions – Weber is after all a goldsmith through and through – thereby giving them a new home. At times the critical jewelry artist places these figures in a completely new context. In this way jewelry is moved in the direction of pop and takes on the character of shrill fashion emblems. Precious stones made of velour in jewelry conjure up a smile on the lips of a viewer before he even begins to reflect on the meaning of the spurious stones. But Norman Weber not only tells stories. Other pieces are shaped by underlying constructivist elements – convincing jewelry because their mechanical elements are infused with an exciting dynamic.

This monograph provides a first survey of the oeuvre of this talented jewelry master. Exhibition in the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau from 2nd September 2010 and further venues thereafter, in Munich and Schwäbisch Gmünd.

Text in English & German.

“Opening it and turning the pages is an invitation to dream, to wonder, and to appreciate the very large emotional size of the natural landscapes in the United States.” Frames
“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.

This volume brings together leading scholars of Sikhism and of Sikh art to assess and interpret the remarkable art resource known as the Kapany Collection, using it to introduce to a broad public the culture, history, and ethos of the Sikhs. Fifteen renowned scholars contributed essays describing the passion and vision of Narinder and Satinder Kapany in assembling this unparalleled assemblage of great Sikh art, some of which has been displayed in exhibitions around the globe. The Kapanys’ legacy of philanthropic work includes establishing the Sikh Foundation (now celebrating its 50th year) and university endowments for Sikh studies. Through this profusely illustrated book’s chapters, scholars examine the full range of Sikh artistic expression and of Sikh history and cultural life, using artworks from the Kapany Collection.

Farmer: Photographic Portraits by Pang Xiaowei represents a curated selection from more than 1000 portraits taken by Pang Xiaowei during a mammoth mission to photograph farmers from every province in China. It is a monument to China’s agricultural workforce that affords them the recognition they deserve and celebrates their dedication to their country.

The farmers of the Chinese mainland help feed 1.39 billion people. This powerful series of portraits captures the souls of these men and women: their hardiness, their work ethic, their dedication to the land.

Portraiture is one of the strongest visual methods of communication. As Pang Xiaowei says, “Portraits have a language; they can tell us so much. Portraits have force, and that force is directed towards our hearts.” Looking into the eyes of the farmers featured in this book, that connection is evident. These portraits forge a link between the observer and the subject, building on the ancient Chinese tradition of ‘spirit resonance in portraiture’ (chuan shen xie zhao). This aspect of Xiaowei’s photography is explored in an accompanying essay by the celebrated Chinese artist, Chen Lvsheng. 

For almost 15 years, the architectural couple Pascal Fournier and Sandra Maccagnan have been working in the Unterwallis region to produce a remarkable oeuvre. The individual buildings consciously react to their developed, usually rural environments and are able to clarify them, thereby achieving a more beautiful, complete whole.

Text in English and German.

On the occasion of the 15-year anniversary of Idee und Klang Audio Design (Idea and Sound Audio Design), a publication has been created that is dedicated to sound scenography and at the same time reflects the work of the atelier. It includes questions about the still-young field of acoustic exhibition design as well as personal experiences in the area of audio creation. The topic is framed by interviews and texts by guest authors within this discipline.

Text in English and German.