Through more than one hundred works, the official catalog of the first major exhibition in London. The entire artistic journey of M.C. Escher (1898–1972), from his early training and travels in Italy to the complex technical experiments that made him an artist admired even in scientific circles. The volume reconstructs M.C. Escher’s visual and conceptual universe: a space where nature, art, science, and mathematics intertwine in a fascinating and dizzying balance. His works – true architectures of the imagination – continue to influence our contemporary gaze, becoming part of the collective imagination through textbooks, magazines, design, and pop culture. Trained as a graphic artist, M.C. Escher created around 450 prints, each with a distinctive style and extraordinary precision. His creations speak not only to art lovers but also to those passionate about geometry, mathematics, visual sciences, architecture, and graphic design.
Through more than one hundred works, the official catalog of the first major exhibition of M.C. Escher in Paris retraces the entire artistic journey of the Dutch engraver (1898–1972), from his early training and travels in Italy to the complex technical experiments that made him an artist admired even in scientific circles. The volume reconstructs the visual and conceptual universe of M.C. Escher: a space where nature, art, science, and mathematics intertwine in a fascinating and vertiginous balance. His works—true architectures of imagination—continue to influence our contemporary way of seeing and have entered the collective imagination through school textbooks, magazines, design, and popular culture. Trained as a graphic artist, he produced around 450 prints, each characterized by a distinctive style and extraordinary precision. His creations appeal not only to art lovers, but also to those passionate about geometry, mathematics, visual sciences, architecture, and graphic design. This catalog is much more than a simple exhibition companion: it is a comprehensive guide to the universe of M.C. Escher, where imagination meets geometry and reality bends to the laws of infinity.
Nicola Samorì (Forlì, 1977) is one of the most innovative contemporary artists, known for his profound dialog with Western visual tradition. Through a process of excavation and rewriting, Samorì transforms the classical into a field of tension, challenging the apparent immutability of art. Classical Collapse is a unique exhibition project connecting Milan and Naples, bringing together the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in a journey through more than fifty works by the artist, displayed alongside masterpieces from the permanent collections. The exhibition explores themes such as matter and illusion, creation and ruin, body and spirit, investigating the continuous metamorphosis of classical art and the vitality of cultural heritage. The accompanying volume includes essays by Demetrio Paparoni, Alberto Rocca and Eike Schmidt, directors of the hosting institutions, as well as contributions by writer Antonio Moresco and theologian and art critic Friedhelm Mennekes, offering an in-depth reflection on Samorì’s practice and his ability to inspire a renewed vision of art.
Ryan Korban is one of the youngest designers to be featured on the prestigious Architectural Digest AD100 list and to receive an International Property Award for his work. With a growing Instagram following of over 100,000, Korban connects with both seasoned design aficionados and a new generation of enthusiasts. After graduating from The New School in New York, Korban pursued a career in interior design. Despite lacking formal training, he developed a signature style that blends timeless luxury, old-world charm, and a contemporary edge. His spaces captivate with their allure and innovation, offering a modern reinterpretation of traditional design. Widely regarded as a transformative figure in the design industry, Korban is celebrated for his fusion of classic and contemporary aesthetics. His portfolio includes collaborations with top fashion brands such as Balenciaga and Alexander Wang, as well as high-profile clients like James Franco, Jessica Stam, and Kanye West.
As the founder of Korban Studio, he has led a range of notable projects—from luxury hotels and flagship stores to exquisite private residences. His work has been featured in leading publications including Architectural Digest, Vogue, and Elle Decor. Ryan Korban’s innovative approach and distinctive vision have redefined modern interior design. Whether creating spaces for elite clients or globally recognized brands, his work consistently exudes sophistication and boldness. The design world eagerly awaits his next creative endeavor. This monograph showcases Ryan Korban’s favorite recent interior and design projects.
Boucheron: Secret Archives tells the true story of Maison Boucheron, the oldest jeweler on Place Vendôme. Fifteen years after the first publication, new documents and photographs discovered in the Boucheron archives and private collections have allowed jewelry historian Vincent Meylan to reveal more remarkable discoveries about the history of this great Parisian jeweler house, bringing the glittering world of diamonds and pearls, intrigue and power to life.
From ‘Ladies of Sin’ to the ‘Kings and Queens of the World’, the Maison’s extraordinary, colorful clientèle included La Païva, The Countess of Castiglione, Tsar Nicholas II, the Duke of Windsor when he was Prince of Wales, Lord Mountbatten and the Duke of Kent, the Vanderbilts, the Rothschilds, Sarah Bernhardt, Rita Hayworth, the Aga Khan, the Iranian and Egyptian royal families and more. For over a century-and-a-half, Boucheron has fashioned some of the most exquisite jewelry, from Margaret Greville’s fabulous treasure left to the Queen Mother to the spectacular emerald necklaces created for the Maharajah of Patiala.
Featuring over 300 illustrations and documents, these pages include newly discovered original design sketches, black-and-white archive images and sumptuous color photographs of Boucheron’s exquisite creations.
The Sámi artist John Savio (1902–1938) has long been viewed through the lens of the majority culture, and has consequently been relegated to the margins of art history. John Savio – Hásttuheaddjin: Voice of Resistance approaches his work for the first time from a perspective grounded in specifically Sámi knowledge systems and lifeworlds. In doing so, his practice emerges on its own terms: as a driving force that not only carries forward but renews modernism, with a quiet yet penetrating critique of the colonial structures that shaped Sámi life both in his own time and beyond.
At a moment when Indigenous artists around the world are challenging established notions of representation and knowledge, Savio’s voice resonates with particular force, as the texts in this volume demonstrate. They are written by the exhibition’s curator Liisa-Ravna Finnbog and by Harald Gaski, Elin Anna Labba Magga, Liv Astrid Svaleng, Wanda Nanibush, Kathrine Nedrejord and Sigbjørn Skåden, and include an interview with the visual artist Outi Pieski. Taken together, the texts and the richly illustrated material in this book show why Savio represents a vital chapter in the new, more polyphonic art history that is currently being written.
With its unique luminosity and vivid coloration, the Paraíba Tourmaline has captivated the hearts of gem enthusiasts, collectors and jewelry designers worldwide. At its heart, the allure of the precious stone lies in its rarity combined with the sublime qualities of its electric blue, evoking from the beholder an emotional response as multifaceted as the gemstone itself. This emotional spark draws from a combination of psychological, physiological and cultural factors that converge to create, upon encounter, a truly compelling experience.
This new edition features updates to its history, including the recent discovery of a mine in Ethiopia and new masterpieces by the world’s most renowned designers and jewelry houses. Featuring a new interior creative design and cover, Paraíba is a vibrant invitation to discover what lies within the depths of this amazing blue gemstone, exploring its geological origin, remarkable hue and symbolism.
“Coolness” – on the one hand, a meaningless buzzword today; on the other, a self-assured, late-modern attitude and behavioral strategy with rebellious roots against an unjust world.
But what does the word “cool” mean, and what does it mean to “be cool”? How does “coolness” become tangible? What makes coolness so appealing? Where do these concepts come from? What facets do we encounter upon closer inspection?
Michael Köckritz explores these questions with a holistic perspective, researching and collaging history and stories, speaking with interdisciplinary experts about backgrounds and developments, manifestations and criteria, and identifying with them the icons and personalities that so strikingly shape our modern image of coolness. The result is a journey of discovery that is as entertaining and stimulating as it is creative, exploring the facets of a timeless phenomenon of longing.
This reflective, precise examination of the concepts of “cool” and “coolness” becomes an impressive plea for coolness as a timelessly modern, emotional experience and a self-assured “attitude” that thrives on the appeal of rejecting bourgeois norms and non-conformity, while simultaneously captivating with a distinct aesthetic dimension. This revised new edition of the bestseller broadens the perspective and deepens the exploration of style and culture as defining dimensions of coolness.
Mid-Century Interior Design moves beyond retro reproductions of Mid-Century Modern design, and focuses instead on the rebirth and localized application of this classic design language within a global contemporary context.
Mid-20th-Century Modernism has become a timeless classic through its rational structural logic, ergonomic comfort and warm natural materials. In today’s rapidly evolving consumer culture, it is no longer merely a nostalgic trend; its relaxing and understated aesthetics resonate deeply with the living demands of contemporary people. The book features 40 fully realized projects all around the world, spanning diverse types such as residences, boutique hotels, restaurants, and bars.